🔺Wintertime in New Jersey has arrived.  It is fridged outside.

🔺For some, it's gotten much cooler in our homes.

🔺Here are tips for keeping your home warm, and your energy costs down during the cold New Jersey winter.

 

Ceiling Fans

If you have a ceiling fan, you surely know that it can keep things cooler during the warm months.

What you may not realize is that the same ceiling fan, can also help keep your room warm.

During the summer, the fan should be turning counterclockwise to help pull the warm air up.

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Credit: Canva
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During the winter, the fan should turn clockwise.

By running your fan clockwise in the slow mode, you will push war air down.  You will warm the room and save on heating costs.

Carpets

Many people prefer having hardwood flooring or laminates in their homes.

While they’re stylish, but they do little to help keep your home warm.

Carpet helps absorb the heat, and warm your home.

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Credit: Canva
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We deal with this in my home by purchasing throw-carpets that we use during the cooler months.

It makes a difference.

Extra Rooms

We have a guest room in our home that is rarely used.

If you have a room that isn’t typically used, make sure the vents are closed.

Open vents in these rooms are a waste of your heat.

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Credit: Canva
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Doors

Check your front door for gaps, particularly on the bottom of the door.

Many times our doors come with a small plastic flap that covers a gap that may be as small as a ¼ inch. ‘

These flaps wear out and that gap can have a big impact on the temperature in your room.

You can buy a plastic piece that can be easily slide onto your door.

Or, you can lay a towel in front of the door.

Thermostat Timer

Installing a thermostat timer in your home is another great way to lower your bills while keeping your home warm.

Set the timer so that your heat doesn’t start until you are on your way home.

In our home, we set the thermostat at 60 from 8am until 5:30pm.

Gado via Getty Images
Gado via Getty Images
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This means the home starts to heat up about an hour before we get home.

This is plenty of time to make your home comfy.

Bubble Wrap

One easy and inexpensive way to help keep your home warm is to use bubble wrap to insulate your windows.  Use the thicker bubble wrap, cover your windows with it, and tape it in place.

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Credit: Canva
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You can also purchase commercial window insulation that may be easier to install.

In the spring, just peal it off.

In Case of Emergency

I want to stress up front that this is a tip in the event of an emergency, such as a power outage.

It can be dangerous, and you should never do this for long periods of time.

During Superstorm Sandy, we learned that if you have a gas stove, you can boil a large pot of water with the lid half off the top.

It won’t take long to fill your home with a warm steam.

As you are using gas, it can’t be stressed enough, this shouldn’t be done for more than a few minutes every few hours.

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