5 Ways to Keep a Room Warm in Winter and Save on Your Energy Bill
For many people, winter means hot chocolate, cozy fires, and warm, fuzzy blankets. But it can also mean drafty rooms, cold spots, and high energy bills.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
We’ve put together some tips for keeping a room warm even when there’s wintery weather outside. Your heating bill will go down too.
Keep Heat Absorbing Furniture Away from the Radiator or Vent
Having your sofa or overstuffed chair right next to the heat source in your room might feel cozy, but it isn’t doing anything for your heating bill, and it could be affecting the warmth of the room. Furniture like sofas, loveseats, armchairs, and even ottomans can absorb the heat coming out of your vent or radiator when it is too close to it. By arranging your furniture so that the vents or radiator are in a more open area, away from heat absorbing furniture, your room will be warmer and your energy bill lower.
Keep Your Thermostat at a Consistent Temp
Moving your thermostat back and forth from high heat to cooler temps will not only keep your room from staying at a comfortable temperature and raise your energy bill, but it can also make you sick. It is better (and healthier) to set your thermostat and leave it so that you can keep a consistent temperature in the room. If you get chilly, throw on a sweater. If you get too warm, dress cooler. Keeping your thermostat between 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 72 degrees Fahrenheit will help keep your energy bill and your body healthy while your room stays comfortable.
Block any Drafts
Check around your windows and doors for drafts. If cool air is coming in under a door or around a window, put down a draft block, use an under door draft stopper, or install rubber seals around your windows and doors. A rug can also help to hold heat in the room. This is particularly helpful if you have an older home and have drafts coming through cracks in the floorboards. However, even if you have a tile, concrete, or wood floor, a few well placed rugs can help retain heat in the room which will lower your energy bill.
Insulation is a Heat (and Money) Saver!
If you aren’t sure whether your home is insulated, it is well worth taking a look. Check your walls to see what’s going on because uninsulated homes lose about a third of their heat. If they aren’t insulated, you may want to consider it. Also, about 25% of heat in a home is lost through the roof. You can stop this by insulating the attic. While this is not a cheap solution, it is a very smart investment that will pay for itself pretty quickly in energy savings. An insulated home will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Curtains Really do Work
Curtains can be a great way to provide an extra layer of insulation to retain the warmth in a room. When the sun is shining, open the curtains to let that free, warm sunlight in. When the sun goes down or it’s a cloudy day, pull the curtains closed so that they block the cold and keep it from coming into the room. Shades and blinds can also be good insulators, just make sure there are not any gaps or areas where the cool can seep in, such as slats that don’t meet properly. Layering your window treatments may be another solution worth considering. A shade with drapes will provide an extra layer of insulation for those cold winter nights.
Are you ready to explore some stylish ways to keep your rooms warm during these chilly winter months? Our designers can help you find the right furniture and help you arrange it in ways that are attractive and functional as well as choose curtains, shades, and other window treatments that do double duty as gorgeous window décor and provide insulation against the cool winter weather.
Call today to make an appointment and let Valley Drapery & Upholstery help you make your home the best it can be.