Although Virginia has had a relatively warm Fall this year, Winter is on the horizon. We are a month and half out from the official beginning of the season. And with Winter comes colder temperatures. Experts are predicting that we won’t see the coldest of temperatures until February, but that doesn’t mean that you should wait until then to set your home up for warmth! The first thing you should do (and the most obvious) is to make sure that your heating system is in good working condition. A professional from Complete Heating and Cooling can visit your home to check your system, so don’t delay to schedule an appointment. However, there are alternative ways that you can keep your home warm and make sure that your heating system isn’t working harder than it should:
- Curtains – Curtains are your friend in the Winter! Purchase some thick curtains for your windows and they will protect your home from losing heat through the windows. You can also add curtains to front or back doors, to help from heat escaping.
- Sunlight – Although you should keep your curtains shut as much as possible, you should let the sunlight in when it is shining through each side of the house. Letting in sunlight will help to heat your home and it’s the cheapest form of heat that you have (because it’s free!).
- Window Film – In addition to curtains, you can purchase window film for heat retention in your home.
- Insulation – Although it can be expensive, you should make sure that the insulation in your home is doing its job. Insulation can be one of the best ways to prevent heat loss from your home. According to Angie’s List, “one way to tell if your insulation is not performing properly from the exterior of a house in the winter is the development of large ice dams or large icicles, that hang down off of the overhang on your home.” For more information, check out this link: https://www.angieslist.com/articles/when-should-i-replace-my-insulation.htm
- Timers – Setting timers for the heating in your home can be very important. If it’s very cold outside, your timer should be set to turn the heating on earlier, instead of turning the thermostat up rapidly.
