10 Tips To Keep Your Home Warm This Winter - For Less!

A warm home is a happy home! At least, it is to us Northern Ontario homeowners.

Our winters up North are not something to take lightly!

We’ve already experienced our first snowfall of the season. But we all know there’s more where that came from. It’s just a matter of time before a hefty blanket of snow and frigid temperatures set up camp in our little corner of the country. In fact, it may have already begun unpacking!

The secret to surviving our frigid Northern Ontario winters isn’t a gallon of hot cocoa (although, that does help). And it isn’t piling extra quilts or layering your socks either.

The secret is ensuring you have reliable home heating and a good Sudbury heating company on call - 24/7!

But the downside to having your heat fired up at all times is the all-too-eager heating bills. They seem to skyrocket at the first sign of snow! And while you appreciate your heating system’s enthusiasm, those costly bills might send you running to lower the thermostat. Even in the middle of a cold front!

At Campeau Heating, we believe you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your home comfort for the sake of a cheaper heating bill. There are actually many ways to help make your system more efficient and effective!

Read on for 10 tips to keep your home toasty warm for less!

1. Install a programmable thermostat.

Conservative energy use will soon become your best friend…

Your thermostat is the brains of your home heating system. It tells your furnace when to heat things up or cool them down.

It makes sense then that if you’re looking to lower your home heating bills, your thermostat should be your first stop!

Conservative energy use lowers your thermostat during certain hours of the day or night. And it can help you reduce your energy consumption by as much as 10%!

But remembering to reset your thermostat every few hours is more than a hassle. It’s impractical and unreliable - which in the HVAC world, typically means EXPENSIVE!

The solution?

Invest in a programmable thermostat! These systems are brilliant - allowing you to create a heating schedule that reflects your home heating needs.

Instead of constantly adjusting your thermostat, the programmable thermostat is a set-it-and-forget-it fix!

For the best results, set your thermostat low overnight or while you’re away. And high when you wake up or get home!

Your Ideal Heating Schedule

• 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. = 20 degrees
• 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. = 15 degrees
• 5:30 to 11 p.m. = 20 degrees
• 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. = 15 degrees

2. Change the direction of your ceiling fans.

Ceiling fans are great for those hot summer days when you need to cool a room down fast. But did you know that you can also use them to keep your home warm?

You might be looking at us funny right now…and you wouldn’t be the first! Reversing the direction of your ceiling fans is a great little trick, but it’s not as well-known as other solutions.

Typically, your ceiling fan spins counterclockwise. This sucks warm air up and pushes cold air down - cooling the room.

But if you reverse that spin clockwise and set it at the lowest speed possible, the fan begins forcing warm air down.

Keep in mind that not all fans can do this! Some are too powerful or cannot change direction. Give it a try before resetting all your fans.

3. Keep the heat in!

Keeping your hard-earned heat inside is the key to a warmer home. But achieving that might be a little harder than it sounds, depending on how well-sealed your house is.

Hot air can escape your home in many different ways - your doors, windows, attic, flooring, garage, chimney, vents, outlets etc.

To prevent heat loss in these areas, you must ensure your home is well-sealed and well-insulated.

Follow these tips below to help prevent heat loss in your home:

• Seal any gaps or cracks in your doors and windows.
• Check the insulation in your attic or crawl space.
• Get a chimney damper.
• Insulate outlets and light switches.

4. Hang insulated curtains.

Heat doesn’t only escape through the seals in your windows. It also escapes through the window itself!

Glass windows are a heat sink - which means heat is drawn to and absorbed by them.

To prevent this, we recommend installing insulated curtains. This helps keep the heat in if the sun is not shining.

But if the sun is shining, don't forget to open them again.

5. Open the curtains when the sun starts shining.

Let that sunlight heat your home for free!

Keeping your windows uncovered in the middle of a bright, sunny day is a great way to help heat your home.

Because your windows are a heat sink, they’ll absorb the solar heat from the sun. That means free home heating!

6. Change your furnace filter.

This is a tip you’ll hear our technicians mention a lot. And not just in regards to preserving heat!

Changing your furnace filter helps:

1. Improve furnace efficiency.
2. Optimize heating performance.
3. Enhance indoor air quality.

We typically recommend replacing your furnace filter every 90 days. However, if you have pets or children, we’d recommend upping that to 30-60 days.

Pssst…If you have all your family gathered at the house over Christmas, it might be a good idea to check your furnace filter before the New Year.

7. Add a rug or two!

Your floor needs bundling up too!

If you have tile or hardwood flooring, you’ve probably experienced some chilly wake-up calls. Stepping onto a cold floor in winter almost feels like you’re stepping out into the snow!

Rugs are a great way to help keep your toes warm!

Place one on top of your flooring for added insulation and comfort.

8. Install electric floor heating.

Another great way to warm your toes is by installing electric floor heating! This form of heating is an excellent option for affordable supplemental heat.

Adding floor heating means your furnace doesn’t have to work as hard. And your toes will thank you for the added warmth!

Where should you install electric floor heating? We’ve listed some of the popular areas for floor heating below:

• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Bedrooms
• Basements
• Unheated Spaces
• Over-Garage Apartments

9. Cool your oven with the door open.

Now, be careful not to mishear us. We’re not telling you to use your oven to heat your home… that is a terrible idea! Not to mention expensive and dangerous.

However, cooling your oven with the door open after you’ve turned it off is a great way to recycle heat!

Instead of letting your oven waste the heat, keep it open a crack and let the heat out.

Note: Please keep pets, children and flammable items away from the oven before opening the door.

10. Schedule your furnace maintenance appointment.

Book Furnace Care Here

When was the last time you booked a furnace maintenance visit?

Typically, our heating company recommends scheduling an annual preventative maintenance appointment. This ensures your furnace runs as efficiently as possible for the season ahead.

If you haven’t scheduled your furnace tune-up yet, we highly suggest doing so before the real snow hits!

Our furnace maintenance techs will ensure your equipment is clean, tightened up and ready for the storms ahead.

Campeau Heating Promises To Keep Your Home Toasty Warm All Winter!

Our team at Campeau Heating is here to help make this winter the cosiest one of all! We promise to be there for you and your family’s heating needs all season long.

Whether you need 24/7 emergency furnace repair, some good old-fashioned heating advice or a free quote for a new system - we’re here for you!

Call your local Campeau Heating company at (705) 560-2441 or message us online.