7 Simple Tips to Keep Your Home Warm This Winter

Let's face it...we can have some of the coldest winters in Canada and experience at least 2 weeks of -30 degree weather each year. Here are some tips on how to keep Your home it's warmest during a cold snap.

1. Upgrade Your curtains.
Your windows are one of the biggest areas that let out the heat in Your home. By upgrading Your curtains to a thicker set or ones with a thermal lining it will help keep the heat in rather than escaping through the glass.

2. Let the Light In.
Even on the coldest days the sun is still warm. Take advantage of all the free heat during the day by opening Your curtains to let in all the heat the sun has to offer.

3. Close Your Curtains at Night.
Now that we've captured all the free heat during the day, it's time to keep it in our homes at night. It's best to close our curtains immediately after dusk so that the thick curtains provide an extra barrier to radiant heat loss, they add insulation and reduce draughts.

4. Maximize Your Insulation.
When it comes to losing heat in Your home, around 25% of it can be attributed to being lost through Your roof. This can be easily reduced by simply adding some insulation in the rafters. Whether You're adding insulation via the blown-in method or simply laying insulation batting on the existing insulation...
it will greatly improve the efficiency of Your home and help with heat loss.

5. Don't Be Afraid to Cook.
One of the things that can dramatically help keep Your home warm without breaking the bank is to simply cook with Your oven. Baking, convecting and broiling things will essentially help keep Your house warmer during the cold months and is one of the reasons why I stay away from those activities in the summer. 

Once You're done cooking and the oven is off, I usually leave the oven door open a crack to help the heat escape into the rest of the home :)

6. Close Your Doors.
Most of us only use certain rooms on a day to day basis in our homes. To help keep the heat in those rooms simply close the doors to those rooms and it will create a mini sauna because there's less ways for the heat to escape. It sounds simple, but it works.

7. Add Layers to Your Floor.
According to the National Energy Foundation, uninsulated wood floors can account for up to 10% of a homes heat loss. What's the solution? Add a carpet or rug to any wooden floor and they'll not only make the room feel cozier, but they also act as an insulator and help heat the heat from escaping.

Ultimately at the end of the day it's easier and more cost effective to keep the person warm versus keeping the house warm. Your home doesn't care if it gets a bit chilly but You do. So the best way to keep warm is to simply wear a sweater, throw on some wooly socks, use thicker blankets on Your bed or on the couch or even sip warmer beverages throughout the day.

Comfort is key to all of this and only You will find the perfect balance when the weather dips :)