Winter is here and so is the freezing cold. If your home doesn’t have heat or you’re trying to keep your electricity bill down, check out these five tips for staying warm this winter.
1. Space Heaters
First on this list of five tips for staying warm this winter is to get a space heater. They’re great for saving on electricity if you’re trying to avoid using your home heating system, and if you don’t have heat at all then they’re a necessity.
It will make getting through the winter much more bearable and it will be great for heating up whatever room you’re in.
Electric space heaters can be pretty affordable while gas space heaters are much more powerful. Just be careful when using either. Never go to sleep with your space heater on and never leave it unattended for long.
2. Insulation
Next of these five tips for staying warm this winter is to work on keeping your home insulated. Keep the windows shut and don’t leave your doors hanging open as you enter and exit your home.
You’d be surprised how quickly heat can escape outside when it’s cold. Also, check your windows and your doors that lead outside. If there are any noticeable gaps it will mean that heat is constantly being leaked out.
If you find gaps like this see if you can block/insulate them to trap in more heat. If you’re renting, contact your landlord and see if they can send someone to do maintenance and plug up the holes.
3. Room Heaters
Is your home one that has a heater built into the bedroom but nowhere else? Be sure to keep your door shut while you have it running.
It won’t be strong enough to heat other parts of your home but it will great for keeping your room toasty while your door is shut.
It’s also nice to turn the heater on about 30 minutes before you go to bed. It will give the heater time to warm up and keep you from crawling into ice-cold sheets.
4. Cooking
Fourth on this list of five tips for staying warm this winter is one related to cooking. If you ever boil water whether it’s for pasta or something else, don’t open the window or turn on the fan.
The steam from the water can be a surprisingly effective boost to the heat in your home. But don’t plan on doing this all the time.
Too much moisture in the air can actually be counter productive to keeping your space warm and it can cause mold to grow over time.
5. Blankets, Hoodies and Sweats
Lastly of these five tips for staying warm this winter, it’s time to get some warm clothes and blankets if you don’t already have some.
Sweatshirts and sweatpants are must when you’re hanging at home, and a warmer/thicker blanket can make a huge difference if the only ones you have around the house are thin.
Also, it could be worth investing in a heated blanket. They’re quick to heat up, they don’t require much electricity and can be amazing for warming up before bed.