If you’re the kind of person who just can’t stand being cold, you’re going to need these tips. Winter can be a lot of fun if you aren’t shivering all the time, even indoors. Cozy up on the couch, invite your friends over, and don’t let winter get you down this year.
1) Dress Appropriately – If you’re cold at home, before you reach for the thermostat, try putting on warm clothes yourself. A sweater and a hat should do the trick. It takes longer to heat a room than it does to warm up your body, so if you’re freezing cold, reach for the sweater before the thermostat.
2) Use Ceiling Fans – Ceiling fans are great for regulating the temperature in a room. Since hot air rises, if you set your ceiling fan to run clockwise at its lowest setting, it will slowly push warm air back down where it can keep you toasty.
3) Invest in a Programmable Thermostat – It’s scientifically proven that people are more productive and happier when they’re warm, meaning its worthwhile investing in a thermostat that gives you precise control over the temperature.
4) Change Your Furnace Filter – A dirty, clogged furnace filter can cause a lot of furnace problems, including a total breakdown right on the coldest day of the year. Check your furnace filter and consider bringing in a professional to do a check up and maintenance before the snow starts to fall.
5) Replace Your Entire Furnace – Older furnaces work harder to generate the same amount of heat. If you have an older system, you may want to think about replacing the unit to reap the benefits of a high-efficiency furnace that heats faster and more efficiently. Replace your furnace early to avoid unnecessary maintenance costs and lower energy bills every month. Of course, never do any of this complex work yourself — be sure to get professional furnace repair services to avoid costly and potentially dangerous errors.
6) Block Drafts – Drafts can make any house or apartment feel even colder. If you’re in an apartment and there’s minimal maintenance you can do without your landlord’s approval, you can get inventive and block drafts under the door with a pool noodle cut lengthwise in half, as well as plastic coverings for your windows. You can also draft-proof your windows with weather stripping.
7) Get Warmer Window Dressings – You don’t have to get unsightly plastic covers for your windows if you have the budget to replace your curtains with a set that’s thicker and warmer. Heavier curtains are better at keeping the warm air in and your home nice and toasty.
8) Start Baking – Using additional sources of heat such as your oven will warm things up in your home. Baking all day will warm up your home, and if you invite friends over to enjoy the results, their body heat will help too.
9) Buy Hand Warmers – Hand warmers in your pockets will help on those days when you run out of the house without remembering your gloves,plus provide extra warmth on extra cold days.
10) Put Thin, Dense Blankets on Top – The fluffier the blanket, the closer it should be to your skin. Placing a thin, dense blanket between you and that big fluffy comforter can make you colder by causing convective heat loss. Instead, pile thinner ones up on top.
Stay warm and comfortable this winter!
