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If you live in a poorly insulated home, the cold winter weather might leave you with the shivers. Poorly insulated homes are common in areas with milder climates, and heating systems may be less than efficient during cold spells. You’ll lose more heat by radiation to surroundings than convection to the air, so even with the heat left on, a house that’s empty all day will be chilly to come home to. Here are some safe ways to heat your home, brought to you by Altra Insurance Services, a premier provider of home insurance San Diego consumers rely on.
Close the Curtains at Night
Leave your curtains or blinds open during the day, when more radiant energy comes in than escapes. However, after dark, single-glazed windows can become very cold. Even double-glazed windows are poor insulators when temperatures are below 50 degrees. When the internal temperature of windows falls, so does the temperature of the air around them. Prevent this by closing drapes and blinds right after dusk. Consider using thicker drapes to stay even warmer. They create a great barrier to radiant heat loss, provide insulation, and prevent drafts to leave you feeling warmer.
Cover the Walls
Even though brick or stone walls provide insulation, they can get cold and let heat escape through them. External walls can become 3 to 4 degrees cooler than the air in the room. Cold walls will draw warmer air to them. A simple solution to reduce heat loss to cold walls is simply covering them with photos, posters, and mirrors. Heavy-framed photos and mirrors are best. Carpets and tapestries can be attractive wall hangings and serve as great insulators. Even better are wall shelves loaded with books.
Position Furniture in the Warmest Areas
You may have noticed you feel warmer in one part of the room than another. Although the air temperature is the same throughout the room, you’ll feel warmer closer to the middle of the room, farther away from external walls. Place living room furniture and beds next to an internal wall when possible. If your bed must be placed against an external wall, use a headboard or four-poster bed to stay warmer.
Use Space Heaters
When used the right way, space heaters can keep you cozy and save money on your heating bill. Using a space heater to warm the air directly around you allows you to keep a lower setting on your central heating system. Space heaters can be expensive to operate and pose a fire threat when misused. Use them to heat small areas rather than every room. Follow safety guidelines when using space heaters. Purchase only newer models that feature a safety guard around the heating element and an automatic trip switch. Turn them off before going to bed or leaving the house.
No matter which safe heating method you use, make sure to protect your home with home insurance from an experienced provider. If you need reliable and affordable homeowners insurance, Altra Insurance Services is just a phone call away. We also provide renters, commercial, motorcycle, and car insurance Chula Vista. Local residents should reach out to one of our friendly agents today at (800) 719-9972 for a free quote.