While it’s hard to think about cold weather during the summer, once winter rolls around, handfuls of the nation’s most popular cities will sit at an average temperature that’s below freezing. Then, warmth will be all that’s on anybody’s mind.
We’re big proponents of thinking ahead when it comes to coming up with creative ways to maintain a living space’s climate, so, this post is all about ways to heat a house!
Our hope in sharing this information is that, once fall/winter rolls around, you’ll know exactly how to go about keeping you and your family toasty until warm weather makes its return.
1. Central Heat (HVAC)
If you have a modern HVAC system sitting on, behind, or on top of your house, you’re lucky. Chances are, your system works great, is energy efficient, and allows you to effortlessly control your home’s temperature.
For those of you that are experiencing issues with your HVAC system, call in a professional to fix the problem before harsh weather makes an appearance. HVAC technicians and duct professionals can get very inundated with calls during high seasons which will leave you waiting and potentially paying more for service.
2. Space Heaters
Space heaters are great at heating small rooms or specific areas of a large room. For example, if you’d like some extra heat blowing your way while you sleep, plugging in a space heater can make a huge difference.
The big drawback with space heaters is that they can hog a tremendous amount of energy in relation to their size. For that reason, you’ll want to buy space heaters that are billed as being energy efficiency. You’ll also want to run your heater sparingly during its first month to make sure you don’t get surprised by a massive bill.
3. Gas Furnace
Older homes that haven’t been outfitted with an HVAC system probably have one of two furnace systems installed in them. The first of those furnace systems is the gas furnace.
Gas furnaces are popular on the west coast and use technology similar to a gas oven to heat homes. Anyone using gas furnaces as their solution to heat a house must have a carbon monoxide detector nearby to protect against a deadly leak.
4. Oil Furnace
A secondary popular furnace system, particularly for homes in the northeastern United States, is the oil furnace. There are several pros and cons to an oil furnace, the most notable of which are that oil is relatively cheap to use but fluctuates in pricing.
Oil is also flammable but still is considered safe to use in a well-maintained furnace.
5. Fireplace
We’ve all seen a fireplace at some point or another. They’re built into walls and connect up to a chimney that expels smoke.
Fireplaces can be a treat of a heating source given their attractiveness, particularly during the holiday season. As a drawback, fireplaces have been responsible for a great many fires and can push toxic smoke into your home if your chimney isn’t well-maintained.
Fireplaces also require regular attention as wood burns relatively quickly.
6. Heating Stoves
Heating stoves are rare in homes but are gems when you can find them. These tend to be small, black, and have a large pipe coming out of their tops that go up through your roof and out of the house.
Stoves emit heat well given their iron bodies. The big drawback with them is that they’re hot to the touch and typically very exposed in a room which creates a lot of opportunity for burns.
7. Window Insulation
The heat that you and the people that live with you emit could be enough to modestly heat your house. The trick is to insulate your house enough so heat that’s created inside of it can’t escape.
A great way to do that is by insulating your windows.
Window insulation is a task that can be tackled in several ways. You could have thick curtains covering your windows or you could tape ceramic wrap over your window’s pane’s to inhibit heat from escaping through glass’ invisible pores.
Those ideas just scratch the surface so consider exploring more deeply the many ways you can make your windows more protective of heat.
8. Candles
While not the most robust of our ways to heat a house, lighting a handful of candles nearby where you’re sitting or sleeping could emit enough warmth to keep you comfortable.
Candles are cheap and come with the added benefit of smelling great while burning. Unfortunately, they also present a massive fire risk that may not be worth the benefit. This is especially true when letting them burn overnight.
9. Throw on Something Cozy
There’s a saying that goes, “Don’t heat the house, heat the person.” Adopting that mantra could save you hundreds of dollars on a heating bill so consider giving it a try.
Have people throw on a sweater or use blankets to stay toasty all season long!
More Ways to Heat a House
If our team has learned anything over the years, it’s that there are more ways to heat a house than we have time to share in a single post. That means if you’re willing to get creative, you’re sure to find a great heating method that keeps you toasty without breaking the bank.
We post new content in our digital publication constantly and welcome you to continue reading it should you have more home or lifestyle questions!
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