The cold weather is quickly approaching and rearranging your budget to keep warm doesn't need to be the first place your mind goes. In this article I'll list inexpensive ideas that will keep you from digging to deep into your pocket book!
The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy states that of the $2,000 the average American spends paying for energy annually, $200 to $400 could be going to waste from drafts and air leaks around openings.
Break out the aluminum foil, it's not just for storing grandma's casserole.
If you heat your home with a radiator put aluminum foil shiny side toward the radiator, on the wall behind the radiator and under the window. This allows the heat to reflect back into the room rather then escaping out.
Let the sunshine through.
In the day-light hours keep the curtains open allowing the sunlight to warm your home. Once the sun goes down cover your windows with heavy fabric curtains to keep the cold out. Fabrics like heavyweight cotton flannel or blackout curtains work well for keeping the heat inside your home. Keep in mind layering is key when insulating.
Be the warden of your home, don't allow heat to escape!
The charm of a glowing fire is hard to compete with. However, fire draws the oxygen out of a room which creates air flow and results in heat escaping out of your chimney. This counter productivity is frustrating to say the least. There is a solution! Increase the amount of heat in the room with an electric blower placed in front of the fire to pull the warmth in. Placing a glass barrier in front of the fireplace will help to prevent the heat inside your home from escaping out the chimney.
You can also fend off heat escape by closing off unused rooms and shutting the HVAC vents inside the unused space. Block the gaps under your doors with a door sweep, foam tape or a door snake.
Be modest! Cover up your bare floors and walls.
Area rugs were invented for practical reasons, up to 10 percent of heat loss can be contributed to bare floors. Just like curtains, layering is the most effective solution. Put an old blanket or rug liner underneath your rugs to keep the warmth in your home.
Exterior walls can be 3 to 4 degrees cooler then the interior walls of your home. Covering exterior walls with tapestries, pictures or mirrors can keep warmth from escaping. The warmth you feel in a room depends on where you are within that room. Try placing your furniture away from cooler exterior walls and nearer to interior walls or closer to the center of the room.
