Old houses in all their glory are built to breathe. This means that all the beautiful crown molding and vintage-looking staircases will not make up for the cold drafty feel. These houses do tend to have good ventilation as airflow is consistently traveling in and out, but it also means they are more difficult to keep warm. You don’t need to compromise your comfort though, have your old house and keep warm with a few of these suggestions.
Update Windows
Warm air can easily escape through old windows. Closed or open, windows, particularly old windows with poor installment can be the problem. Windows will not only let the warm air out but also let the cold air in. Updating your windows will stop air from escaping through your window panes and keep your home feeling toasty. Replacing windows can be a costly affair, you may want to replace the windows in the rooms you spend most of your time or the windows that are in the most need of repair. Updated windows will increase the value of your home.
Block Air Infiltration
Similar to windows, there are other places in your house, particularly an old house where cold air can be let in. Block anywhere cold air is coming in. Keep doors and windows closed, use floor coverings. Rugs can block air infiltration and keep your feet warm.
Thick and heavy curtains will also block air infiltration. Curtains will keep heat from escaping through your window panes and keep cold from making its way inside. This is a cost-effective way to keep your house warm (and stylish) while saving on energy bills.
Heat One Room at a Time
Historically, old houses were made to be heated one room at a time using separate fireplaces. This method is more efficient than using all at once. You can heat the rooms where you spend the most time by using a programmable wi-fi radiator valve. Smaller areas are easier to heat up and to keep warm. If you heat the rooms where you spend your time, that room will likely heat faster, stay warmer, and cost you less.
Be Timely
When do you use your heat the most? Try using a thermostat that will turn off and on when you need it. For example, the hours that you are gone during the day, you may not need to have the heat pumping through your house. But the hours that you are home, you may want to turn up the heat.
Insulation
Insulation will keep heat in your house longer. Heat can disappear through your floor, walls, and roof. About a fourth of heat is lost through the roof of a house. Installing roof insulation is very affordable. You can also install wall insulation as walls are responsible for about one-third of the loss of heat. However, wall insulation is more expensive. Old houses often do not have insulation and thus lose a lot of their warmth.
If you just can’t seem to keep warm in your own home it may be time for a tune-up on your heater. Contact us a Complete Heating & Air Conditioning today and we will get your home feeling warm and cozy in no time.
