8 Tips To Warm Up Your Home Efficiently
Having a cozy home is one of the main features that home buyers are looking for! You can have all the brand name furnishings and fixtures in the world, but if the house is drafty and unwelcoming, what's the point? Many buyers these days are telling their real estate agent that they only want to see new, more efficient homes. There are certain features that they are looking for when buying a home and we're here to go over what they're on the hunt for and how you can turn your own house into an efficient, warm home.
1. Proper Insulation
There's one simple rule when it comes to insulation: the thicker the insulation, the better it is for keeping heat inside. There are three basic types of insulation: fiberglass, foam, and cellulose.
Fiberglass is made from glass fibers that are essentially wrapped up in cotton mats. The benefits of fiberglass insulation include:
- It's the cheapest to install
- Maintains its R-value over time.
Foam insulations are rigid, pre-formed blocks of plastic or fiberglass that can be poured into an enclosed space between studs. The benefits of foam insulation include:
- Can be used to insulate an entire house
- Doesn't sag over time
- Popular for new construction homes
Cellulose insulation is made from recycled newspaper. It costs more than the other forms of insulation, but its pros outweigh the cons. The benefits of cellulose insulation include:
- Doesn't burn when exposed to flame
- Lasts longer than fiberglass
2. New Windows
Are you tired of opening your windows and seeing all the frost gathered on the inside? Older homes often have single pane windows, which can be incredibly inefficient. Sometimes they'll even have to use a heater during the winter to warm up their living space! By purchasing new energy-efficient windows for your home, you can reduce your heating costs by as much as 10%. If you're lucky, you might even get a tax credit for buying them!
There are several different types of windows to choose from including:
- Double-pane glass: Low-E coating on the inside of all panes of glass to help decrease cooling costs in summer and heat costs in the winter
- Tinted windows: Inexpensive tint can help reduce heat from entering a home in summer
- Specialty windows: Triple-pane glass, for example, is great for extreme weather conditions
3. Reverse Ceiling Fans
Ever feel like your ceiling is warmed up, but the air around you is still cold? This might be because there's a difference in temperature between where you are and where your fan is. To fix this, consider installing reverse ceiling fans.
As the name suggests, these types of fans spin clockwise to help push hot air down towards the living space.This is particularly useful in rooms with taller ceilings.
4. Move Furniture Around
Get rid of furniture or relocate it to somewhere else in your home. The heat from the sun will naturally travel downwards, so if you have a couch beneath a window right next to where the sun is shining through, there's a good chance that the seat and floor directly below and around it might get really warm.
Another benefit to moving your furniture around is the possibility to uncover vents that your couch has been sitting on top of or your bookcase has been pressed against. Uncovering vents and radiators will help a great deal with warming up your home.
5. Wrap Your Pipes
Burst pipes can cause a lot of damage to your home and can be incredibly costly to fix. One way to prevent this from happening is to wrap your pipes. There are a few different ways to do this, but the most popular is using insulation sleeves. These sleeves can be wrapped around individual pipes or a pipe bundle. They come in different sizes, so make sure you get the right one for your needs.
Another way to wrap your pipes is to use heat tape. This is similar to what you might see on electrical wiring in your home. It helps prevent water from freezing in winter, which will help save you money by preventing burst pipes.
6. Cover Kitchen Hood
There are a few different kitchen hoods that you could install in your kitchen:
- Wall mounted hoods
- Island hoods
- Range hood inserts
- Under cabinet hoods
- Professional-grade hoods
No matter what type of hood is in your kitchen, it's best to cover them when they're not in use. This is because the fan motors in these devices can suck up cold air from floor vents and from windows, causing your heating system to work harder. You can do this by buying a commercial-grade kitchen hood cover, which is often used in restaurants where the cooking equipment is turned off when not in use. However, if you're not ready to spend that much money and don't want to hire a contractor, there are simple DIY covers that you can put up instead.
7. Use A Fireplace Plug
If you're planning on using a fireplace in your home, make sure you install a plug. What is a fireplace plug? It's a device that goes in front of the fireplace to close it off when not in use. They help seal off your chimney so cold air doesn't escape through cracks or open vents. This will help keep warm air inside the home more efficiently, thus reducing heating costs. It'll also help to reduce air leakage and save energy by cutting down on drafts in your home.
8. Insulate Your Garage Door
Keeping your garage door insulated is a good way to reduce heat loss from the home. This can be done using commercial-grade insulation, but if you're not really trying to spend a lot of money for this project there are smaller DIY options at your disposal:
- Cover it with a blanket, sheet, or rug
- Use a box cutter to cut insulation to size and then stick it on
- Use a special garage door insulation kit you can buy at the store
Not only is this a good way to keep the heat inside your garage, but sellers who choose to insulate the garage door get 100% of their money back when the time comes.
There are a number of different ways that you can warm up your home efficiently without breaking the bank. No matter what method you choose, whether you've just bought or are selling your home, these tips will help keep the heat inside your home where it belongs, up the resale value of your home, and save you money on heating costs in the process!
Discussion
Hi, thank you for this article! I agree with what you wrote about new windows. We had some house renovations last year and that included window replacements. It really made a difference when it comes to comfort, security, energy efficiency, and curb appeal.
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