We’re all looking for ways to keep our homes warm and welcoming this holiday season. It’s tempting to boost our thermostat when we’re chilly, but it can also make for an expensive energy bill.

We’ll walk you through five cost-effective tips and tricks to help keep your home nice and cozy throughout the cool months.

Seal drafts around doors and windows

Cool air tends to creep in through small gaps in doors and windows. Weatherstripping is a useful way to ensure cool air doesn’t lower the temperature in your home.

There are two types of weatherstripping:

  • Self-Adhesive Strips:
    • Usually made from rubber or foam.
    • Includes a sticky backing, allowing for easy installation.
    • Best used to fill gaps around doors and windows, where surfaces are flat and straight.
  • V-Strips:
    • Usually made from metal or vinyl.
    • Installed using nails or staples.
    • Shaped like a “V,” allowing them to expand and compress to fix unique gaps.
    • Best used to seal irregular gaps, including sliding doors and double-hung windows.

Pro tip: Be sure the self-adhesive strips you choose is thick enough and long enough. If you’re unsure about these dimensions, it may be good to consult a professional.

Close doors to unused rooms

Let’s face it: We don’t need constant access to every room in our house. By closing the doors to unused rooms throughout your home, you can minimize cool drafts that sneak into living areas.

This energy-efficient option means your heating system won’t have to work as hard if there’s a smaller space to keep warm.

However, sealing off whole rooms is not a long-term option. Cutting rooms off from air circulation for extended amounts of time can lead to humid and stale air. But if you’re having family and friends over for the holiday—and you want to keep the mingling area nice and cozy—this is a great short-term option.

Use space heaters…wisely!

Space heaters can be a great way to target the specific rooms you’re using. This can lead to significant savings on your energy.

Targeted heating is also, a lot of times, cheaper than operating your central heating—especially if you live in a larger home with unused rooms.

 

A compact white space heater with a glowing heating element, placed on a tiled floor in a cozy indoor setting. The heater has two control knobs for adjusting temperature and fan settings, with a carry handle on top for easy portability.

 

Another important perk of space heaters is that they’re portable—and easy to move around, from room to room, when needed.

  • Pro tip: Keep space heaters away from curtains, furniture, and flammable items. Additionally, it’s best practice to plug heaters directly into the wall. Do not plug them into power strips or extension cords.

Utilize your oven and stovetop

The holidays are all about fun decorations and visiting with family and friends. But it’s also about eating some of our favorite foods—and that means using our ovens and stovetops.

Cooking on the stove generates heat that can warm up the kitchen and other rooms nearby. Gas stoves are known to produce more heat than electric ones, since they operate with an open flame.

In this way, stoves can pull double duty: cooking your favorite holiday meals while keeping you and your home warm.

  • Pro tip: By placing a pot of simmering water on the stove, you can produce humidity—which can make the air feel a little bit warmer.

Embrace natural lighting

One of the simplest ways to heat up your home is by opening your curtains. On sunny days, your home can soak in sunlight through windows—thereby heating up the interior. This phenomenon is known as solar heat gain.

After your home has absorbed sunlight over the course of the day, close your curtains to keep the warmth trapped inside before the sun goes down.

 

Sunlight streaming through an open window, casting soft lens flares and illuminating a dark-colored curtain hanging to the side. The warm light creates a cozy atmosphere in the room, emphasizing the simplicity of the interior.

 

Psychology also plays into this. When we feel the presence of natural light, it can improve our mood, and even create a sense of warmth and coziness.

Energy bills can get out of hand if we rely solely on our thermostats during the cooler months. We hope these tips and tricks will be useful to you this winter!

If you have any tips of your own, please share them with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram!