Winter is coming, it is now time to start to get your house as warm and cosy as possible for winter. There are many things you can do; some simple and others that require a little more work. If you should happen to have a fire stove, the type where you put in the wood and close the door, that is great. So of course get all your wood chopped & stacked and give the fireplace including chimney a real good clean.
Next, make sure all window sills and doors are airtight. Seal up any windows & doors that are not .You can buy or make simple things for this which really does keep a lot of cold air from seeping in. Once you are sure all of this is done, you can look to see if your window coverings, being curtains or blinds are sufficient. Also look into double- or triple-glazing of windows & that your insulation in both the walls & roof are adequate. Close all rooms that are not used. Dress warmly, use an electric blanket to warm the bed before getting in; turn off once you are toasty enough. Also make sure your water heater is insulated. Look for any leaks in your heating system if you have one.
We all hate bills and loosing money! Here are some simple tips to keeping money in your pocket and keeping your house warm.
1. For each degree you lower your thermostat, it decreases the money you pay on your fuel by approximately 3%! Lowering you thermostat from 72 degrees to 68 degrees may not feel like much comfort-wise, but it saves you 12% on you bill.( If you’re using a coil-type thermostat, you’ll get more accurate readings if you clean it. Pop off the thermostat cover and blow or gently swipe away the dust.)
2. Clean the coils that cool your refrigerator. These coils take the heat out of the inside of the fridge, and this layer of dust prevents them from doing that efficiently.
3. If you have a certain room that is always cold and doesn’t keep heat well, use something to cover the possible points where heat could escape. Even stapling a quilt or tarps over the window(s) could help loads.
4. One of the main places that heat escapes is doors. Place a draft stopper at the bottom of your door to reduce any airflow.
5. Don’t use bathroom fans or any type of ventilation. A bathroom fan can suck all of the heat out of an average house in about an hour.
6. Take shorter showers
7. Wash your clothes in cold water whenever possible.
8. Use space heaters in the rooms you spend time in.
9. Try to keep the lights off.
10. Last, but not least, cuddle up on the couch or in bed with someone or a pet. The closer you cuddle the more body heat you can build up between the two of you. Think of survival tactics in the elements . . . people lost at sea are recommended to huddle together in the water to keep body heat up and keep hypothermia at bay. These tactics apply in most situations, so use science to your advantage!
Also you could build simple solar devices from whatever sun you do get, which can be used as additional heat to save more money, or you can convert your house to solar for all your enery needs.
Follow these simple tips & you should notice a warmer home and a few more pennies in your pocket. Happy Cosy Winter!
