With winter finally arriving, we’ve been bundling up and getting outside more, but when we’re inside, nothing makes us happier than a toasty, warm space (preferably with a fireplace and some mulled wine). The only downfall is paying the increased heating costs!
Here are 5 clever heating hacks to get your through the winter with a fuller wallet:
ELIMINATE DRAFTS AROUND YOUR ELECTRIC BOXES
Tucked away behind the cover plates of your outlets are energy sucking voids of space, calling out for a quick and easy DIY. Electrical boxes in your exterior walls often lack adequate insulation, but with a few dollars and a little know how, you can fix that. Often there are small gaps around the outlet boxes that can be filled with latex caulk, or for the larger gaps, foam gaskets can be placed over the outlet switch.
CHECK YOUR WEATHER STRIPPING
Have you ever been standing near your front door on a sunny day and seen a sliver of daylight peeking through? If your weather stripping is worn out of not adequately sized, you could be losing a lot of heat. All of the big box stores carry affordable, easy to instal options.
COVER WINDOWS & PATIO DOORS WITH PLASTIC FILM
One of the most affordable solutions for keeping that warm air in is to purchase an insulating film kit and apply it to some or all windows and patio doors that will not need to be opened throughout the winter months. These kits come with an double-sided adhesive tape that gets applied to the window frame, and plastic film, that once cut to size, gets applied to the tape. Once that is done, simply turn on your hair dryer and watch the magic happen! The film shrinks and tightens, in effect creating an insulating gap of air.
LET THE SUN SHINE IN
On bright sunny days, open your blinds and let the sun heat up your space. This simple, free hack will give your furnace a break. When the sun goes down, make sure to close your blinds and/or curtains to keep the cold air out!
EVER HEARD OF A CHIMNEY BALLOON
Apparently balloons aren’t just for parties! Fireplaces, while potentially a great source of warmth, are notoriously bad culprits for heat loss in a home. Specially designed chimney balloons are inserted into the chimney and inflated to reduce heat loss. These can be found on Amazon for between $30-$100.
Got some favourite heating hacks that you think we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments!