7 Ways to Keep Your Home Warmer This Winter

Keeping your home feeling comfortable during the extreme cold of winter can feel like an impossible challenge. Thankfully, this task is much easier than you might think, and it does not need to cost a fortune. The experts at Newcomb and Company are here with seven tips for keeping your home warm while saving money on your electric bill.

Open Up Your Blinds

Helping your home feel warm does not need to be complicated or expensive. One easy way to feel warmer is by opening up your curtains and blinds during the day. The sunshine provides some natural light and heat. When the sun sets, closing your blinds and curtains again can also provide some insulation between your home and any window drafts. Best of all, this is a free, easy, DIY method of keeping your home feeling warm this winter.

Change Your Air Filters

Blocked HVAC air filters can prevent your warm air from freely flowing throughout your home. Your air filters should be changed every few months, depending on how many people and pets live in your home. Before turning on your heater for the season, make sure that you have a fresh air filter in place. Air filter changes are also included in seasonal HVAC maintenance plans.

Home Sealing Services

Your home will naturally feel colder during the winter season if your foundation lets in cool air. Leaky windows, doors, attics, and crawl spaces can provide space for this unwanted air infiltration. Home sealing experts can locate and seal these points of home vulnerability. Not only will this make your home feel warmer this winter, but it will also promote home comfort during every other season. Best of all, home sealing is endorsed by the Department of Energy as a way to save energy and money.

Mindful Furniture Placement

Much like blocked air filters, radiators or vents blocked by furniture can disrupt your home’s heat distribution. In addition to making your home feel cooler, this can also force your heater to work harder. The added stress on your system leads to higher energy bills and more frequently needed repairs. By making sure that your radiator and vents are free from obstruction, you can help your home feel warmer while protecting your system.

Damper Adjustments

If you are familiar with the basics of airflow, you will know that density causes cooler air to sink and warmer air to rise. To avoid related air distribution problems, winter dampers push warm air lower and allow it to naturally rise. Conversely, summer dampers push your AC airflow higher and allow the cool air to naturally sink. Some home dampers adjust automatically, while others require manual turning. Proper damper adjustments help your home feel warmer this winter. If you do not know whether or not you need to turn your dampers manually, consider consulting your local HVAC professionals.

Fireplace Heat Loss

The winter season is the perfect time to curl up next to a nice fire. However, when your fireplace is not in use, it could be making your home feel colder. The air your fireplace produces has to be vented out of your home—often through a chimney or a damper system. When your fireplace is turned off, your chimney or damper could be allowing a cool draft in. You can speak with a heating professional about potential covers, inserts, or other solutions. You will need to ensure that you do not run your fireplace while these solutions are in use, as they will prevent your fireplace from safely venting fumes out of your home.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fan

Counter-clockwise ceiling fans are an easy way to help your home feel cooler in the summer; however, your ceiling fan can also help your home feel warmer in the winter. Turning your fan so that it spins clockwise will help redistribute your home’s warm air, which has naturally risen towards the ceiling. While this doesn’t raise the temperature of your home, it will feel more comfortable with minor energy usage.

Newcomb and Company: Local Heating Services

The heating repair, maintenance, and replacement experts at Newcomb and Company are here to help you keep your home warm this winter. Contact our professionals for any insight into the items listed here. We proudly serve homes and businesses in Raleigh, Wilmington, and surrounding areas—including Clayton, Garner, Knightdale, Cary, Castle Hayne, Leland, Carolina Beach, and beyond. Contact our heating experts to get started today!