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Winter
brings with it not only the cold but also the high cost of heating
bills. There are many ways to keep warm during the chilly months,
such as putting on layers of clothing, acquiring
boiler rental services, building up a fire, and eating bowls of hot
chicken soup.
Keeping your home warm is important especially if you have a family,
but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are five smart and
practical tricks to help you keep warm without breaking the bank.
Seal
and insulate
Before
the wintry months arrive on your doorstep, check your insulation.
Identify the type of insulation you have and check for bare spots.
Repair and replace insulation as necessary; it will go a long way in
saving energy costs in the future. You should also check your house
for drafts and air leaks that let the cold air from outside into the
house. Seal the cracks and gaps in windows and walls using weather
stripping to keep the cold air away and keep the warm air from
escaping. Sealing baseboards and caulking windows also significantly
decrease the amount of cold air creeping into a room. You can also
use heavy lined curtains to prevent heat from escaping through the
windows.
Close
off unused rooms
There
may be rooms in your house that you don’t use on a regular basis,
such as a storage room. To save on energy and cut costs, turn off the
air vent and seal the room. Your furniture won’t mind the cold and
your heating system won’t have to work twice as hard.
Let
the sunshine in
Maximize
the heating benefits of direct
sunlight
by opening the blinds or curtains of windows facing the sun. In the
morning, open the blinds of the windows located at the eastern side
of the house where the sun rises. At noon, you can close them and
open the ones located at the west-facing side of the house to let the
afternoon sunlight in.
Layer
up your living spaces
Bring
out as many blankets, comforters, old towels, and rugs as you can,
and embark on a winter decorating spree. This is probably the best
thing you can do to keep warm on a budget, because you won’t have
to spend for anything at all! You can make your couch warmer and more
comfortable by draping a blanket over it. Cover up your bare
floorboards with rugs layered with old towels. According to the
National
Energy Foundation,
bare floors that are not insulated account for as much as ten percent
of heat loss. Rugs in warm colors such as brown and cream give a warm
aesthetic appeal. You can also overlap rugs for a more cushioned and
warmer surface.
Tune
up your heating system
Just
as cars need periodic tune-ups to make sure they run their best,
heating systems also need regular servicing and maintenance. By
keeping your heating system clean and properly
adjusted,
you will be able to reduce your energy use and save up to five
percent of heating costs. Have your system checked weeks before the
winter season starts so that you’ll still have plenty of time to
allow for any necessary repairs.