Improving Your Home’s Efficiency this Winter

During Vermont winters, your home is a safe haven from the chilly weather, but you can’t achieve maximum comfort if you feel a draft. Save your cold feet and your heat bill by making a few easy changes, increasing the efficiency of your home. With wrapped windows, heavy curtains, reversed ceiling fans, and more, your home will be feeling like a warm summer day (as long as you don’t look outside). 

Wrap Your Windows

Cool air is likely entering your home through the windows, so wrapping them can prevent a significant drop in temperature. (If you have brand new or great condition windows, wrapping them might not help.) A few key indicators that you should wrap your windows include: if they rattle, they have visible gaps, or you have noticeable dust coming through them. To measure the need for wrapping, use the paper test.

Take a sheet of paper and place it where your window closes. Close the window and tug on the piece of paper. If it moves easily, you should wrap your windows. If it stays in one place, your windows likely aren’t letting in too much air.

Before wrapping your window, give them a quick clean and add caulk to any significant cracks. 

Next, follow these steps for a seamless process:

1. Purchase a window insulation kit. You can find these at your local hardware store.
2. Add adhesive tape about an inch away from the inside edge of the window. 
3. Measure your window and lay your plastic sheet flat. Cut the sheet based on your measurements. Leave up to five inches of excess.
4. Attach the plastic sheet to the window from top to bottom, ensuring there are not any gaps.
5. Use a hairdryer on high heat, running it over the plastic quickly. This will seal the plastic to the adhesive. Make sure there are no wrinkles.
6. Repeat the last step if there are additional wrinkles.

Once you wrap your windows, you’ll feel the heat difference in your home. In fact, they can reduce utility bills up to 20 percent, saving your comfort and your wallet. 

Install Heavier Curtains

Heavier curtains will keep the warm air in and the cold air out. Drawing your curtains on extremely cold days and nights will make the inside of your home feel toasty without jeopardizing your heat bill. Plus, if you want to keep these curtains up all year round, they do a great job of keeping heat out in the summer.

Check out blackout or thermal curtains for the best results.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

Did you know that air circulates differently depending on which way your ceiling fan is rotating? In the summer, you should always have your fan rotating counterclockwise for the best air flow. In the winter, switching your fan to rotate clockwise will push the rising hot air back down. 

To change your fan’s direction:

1. Turn the fan off.
2. Flip the switch on the fan’s motor housing.
3. Turn the fan back on. The direction should now be different. 

Remove Obstacles in Front of Air Vents

Even small items can impact the direction of your heat. Be sure to remove any furniture, curtains, or other items that could be blocking your heat blower. Once these items are removed, the heat will be able to distribute more evenly throughout your home.

Follow the “Dad” Advice — Add Another Layer

It’s classic Dad advice, but it really works. Before turning up your heat, check to make sure you’re wearing warm clothing, like socks, slippers, a sweater, a sweatshirt, and warm pants. If you check all of those items off the list and still can’t get warm, then you should increase the temperature. 

Making a few small adjustments can transform your home from a cold, drafty space to a cozy retreat during frigid Vermont winters. Wrapping your windows, installing thick curtains, reversing ceiling fans, clearing vents, and adding layers are easy, affordable ways to boost efficiency and retain heat. Once you do so, you’ll feel the difference in both comfort and energy savings. 

Looking to improve your home in other ways? Check out our home maintenance blogs.