Simple Ways to Increase Home Comfort This Winter

January 13, 2015

You can expect another cold winter in Des Moines this year. How do you plan to stay cozy and warm, while maintaining reasonable utility costs? With the following tips, it's possible to increase home comfort without sending your energy bills through the roof.

Add a Humidifier

Cold air is naturally drier than warm air. If you're experiencing itchy skin, dry nasal passages or static electricity, combat these uncomfortable symptoms with a whole-house humidifier. By keeping indoor air between 30 and 45 percent relative humidity, you can reduce the spread of viruses that make you ill during the winter.

Seal Air Leaks

This helps increase home comfort by stopping winter winds from sneaking in. Some of the most effective places to seal include the gaps and cracks around windows and doors. Use caulk to seal tiny cracks around window frames. Then, replace worn weatherstripping to keep exterior doors closed tight against chilly drafts.

Schedule Preventative Furnace Maintenance

The last thing you need is for your furnace to break down during the middle of winter. Annual maintenance is the best way to prevent this from happening. Plus, with better performance and improved efficiency, the visit will likely pay for itself in increased comfort and lower energy bills.

Add Insulation to Your Attic 

Since heat rises, you can lose a lot of energy as air passes through the ceiling and into the attic. To stop this from occurring, add an extra layer of insulation to the attic floor. Poke your head into the attic to assess the situation. If you can see the floor joists sticking up through the insulation, you could stand to add more.

Use the Curtains to Your Advantage 

On sunny days, throw the curtains wide open so the sun can heat your home for free. Remember to close the curtains at night to insulate the windows against falling outdoor temperatures. The denser your drapes are, the better they are at insulating. For more tips on how to increase home comfort this winter, contact Lozier Heating & Cooling. We've been serving the Des Moines area since 1906.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Des Moines, Iowa area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: "Nelosa/Shutterstock"