5 Ways to Keep Your Home Warm This Winter

The holidays are here, which means winter is here too. Our goal here at Handyman Connection of Austin is to be your go-to for any and all home maintenance questions or projects to tackle around your home. One thing that we tend to hear every so often is that it becomes a little more difficult to keep a home warm in the winter, even though your heating system might be working properly. It’s also important to implement certain practices to help not only keep your home warm, but to also keep your energy bills steady and low. Check out our suggestions here, and let us know what works best for you.

1.     Auto Programming Functions

Many thermostats and other systems in homes have specific features that automatically implement temperature adjustments. You should definitely utilize these features. There are recommended times of the day that you can set your temperatures to that will help keep your home warm, and help save energy. It’s recommended to reduce the temperature slightly during the day when most people are gone and out of the house for extended periods of time. It’s also recommended to increase the temperature and warm it up just before you usually head back home. That way your home will be nice and re-warmed by the time you get home, and you won’t need to spike up the temperature suddenly.

2.     Natural Lighting

Natural lighting, separate from your heating systems, is one of the best ways to reinforce the heat and keep your home warm. Be sure to open up all of your windows and shades while the sun is out so that as much natural light can come in as possible and help heat up your home. If you ever notice your pets hanging around the windows in sunspots, it’s because it’s like a natural heater and keeps them warm. The same train of thought can be applied to the entirety of your home where applicable.

3.     Furniture Arrangement

Surprisingly enough, the way your furniture is arranged can have an impact on the warmth in your home. Take a look through your home to examine two things about the layout of your furniture. First, you’ll want to check and see if any furniture is blocking or covering up any vents. This includes rugs, entertainment systems, or even clothes that may be blocking the vents from working effectively. Second, you’ll want to check if any rooms have furniture blocking any potential natural light from entering and if it’s cluttered up.

4.     Curtain Recommendations

When it comes to handling curtains in the winter and maintaining the warmth in your home, it’s highly recommended that you close the curtains, shutters, shades, etc. when it’s dark and cool outside. The heat can escape if the windows aren’t protected and covered, and by covering the curtains you can help minimize the chance of heat escaping and keep your home warm.

5.     Winterize

Many appliances and other items around your home likely have “winterize” settings. In particular, it’s recommended that you implement the winter setting on your ceiling fans. This will rotate the fans counterclockwise allowing the fans to help push the heat back down and keep your home warm.

There many other ways to keep your home warm this winter, but those are some of our favorite and most effective solutions. What are yours? Don’t forget that at Handyman Connection of Austin, we specialize in home maintenance projects of all kinds. If you need a job done around the house, or have questions about how to get one started, be sure to give us a call. Our expert craftsmen are always standing by to help you tackle it quickly, professionally, and within your budget. Happy Holidays, and stay warm!