A lot of us are dealing with a pretty hard cold snap at the moment and you want to make sure that you’re able to make the home as warm and comfortable as it needs to be. However, you don’t want to spend all that money on keeping the heating on all day, so being able to keep more of the heat inside the home is important, as well. Aside from winterproofing your home as best as you can, here are ways to help it retain a little more heat, too.
Add a touch of softness
Aside from making the home a lot cozier than it currently is, adding your share of soft furnishings can also make a significant difference to the way that heat travels throughout. Blankets, cushions, throws and the like are all better at retaining heat than cold surfaces alone. After all, it’s why we choose to get wrapped in comfy fabrics when we’re feeling colder. Take a look at the surfaces in your home that could use an additional bit of softness.
Your choice of flooring matters
A nice rug can be a very helpful addition for adding some warmth underfoot, but you should consider looking at your floors in general when it comes to retaining heat. Carpet is the most traditionally effective choice, but it’s not the flooring that’s pretty good at keeping the heat in the home, either. Vinyl flooring is also good at keeping warmth and softness underfoot thanks to the thickness of the tile. It even works really well with underfloor heating, helping you avoid that dreaded sensation of stepping down onto a cold floor when you get off your seat.
Mind the windows
We’ve already talked about how soft furnishings can help trap in the heat that circulates around the home, but they can also play a role in stopping it from escaping the home, as well. Your windows, even if they are double glazed, are where you are likely to lose most of your heat over time if your home is already insulated. However, with a good pair of thick curtains put up across the windows, then the heat is going to be absorbed by the fabric instead, which can help the home stay warm.
Add insulation where it matters
While all of the tips above do play an important role in retaining heat throughout the home, you have to make sure that the heat sticks long around long enough for these benefits to happen in the first place. If your home isn’t insulated, then you’re effectively leaving open big vacuums that will suck the heat right out. If your home feels particularly cold, you should check as to whether it’s insulated or not. If not, you might even be able to get some help from the state to install it at little to no cost.
You don’t need to make big investments to make the home a warmer place. A smart choice of material here and there can make all the difference.
