Winters are sometimes very harsh and temperatures can drop to the point of turning your living room into a real cold room. Convenient to keep food, but not really convenient to live in!

Generally, the first reflex, when one begins to feel the cold bites at home, is to turn the knob of the radiator in order to increase the heating temperature in the home. This would usually go on until the end of the month when you are then hit with a good dose of reality: your electricity or gas bill. There is, however, a better way out.

Here are some tips and tricks from Brad Roemer to help you raise the temperature at home and spend the winter warm, all without stopping your bank account of course:

Improve Insulation

The first thing you should do when you notice that the cold is settling in your home and that you receive excessive electric bills is to check and possibly improve the insulation within your home. It is necessary to try to locate all the places through which hot air can escape to seal and caulk.

You can start by checking your windows and doors, but remember that heat can also be found outside through ducts, cracked walls or partitions, a basement, or a garage or a poorly insulated roof.

To quickly, easily and cost-effectively insulate your doors and windows, you can install weatherstrips. They come in the form of foam insulation seals to be placed on the frames for protection.

In your hunt for heat leaks, be careful not to alter the operation of your ventilation or ventilation system, which is essential for your safety and health. It is also necessary to continue airing your house regularly or apartment even when it is cold.

Move Furniture

You may be wondering what the relationship is between furniture and heat. It’s simple, it could be that one of your furniture is covering your heater or is too close to it, and is absorbing the heat and preventing it from diffusing itself effectively in the room(s). Go around your house or apartment and check that no furniture is positioned incorrectly with respect to your heat sources. Similarly, if your sofa or table, is under a window, and you often use these types of furniture, it is better to move them to avoid getting cold.

Boost the Radiator

Without increasing the temperature of your radiator, nor consuming more energy, you can get more heat by installing what is called a heat reflector or a reflective panel. This is a film or a glossy end panel, which costs no more than about $20 per square meter, and will be attached to the wall behind each radiator. The heat reflector allows, once installed, to more efficiently return the heat radiated by the radiator and prevent it from being lost through the wall.

Take Advantage Of The Natural Heat From The Sun

We often forget that the sun is a source of natural and free heat. During the day, when the sun comes out, open your curtains and let the light warm your interior. The sun’s rays will also have a beneficial effect on your overall mood, your sleep, and your health.

Change The Energy Supplier

You can save a lot of money, and have the ability to raise the temperature of your heating system when you consider taking your electricity to another supplier. Compare the prices of the different suppliers while being careful not to fall into deals that are too good to be true. In the event that you have been with the same supplier for a while, you will be pleasantly surprised at the difference in rates and savings that you could make.

The last tip that remains relatively important:

Keep in mind that what is important is not to heat your home but rather that the people who live there feel good and that they are not cold. The well-being of people comes first. Make sure everyone is well dressed, drink hot drinks and have good thick blankets for a comfortable winter break.