Your home can be one of the best places to wait out the long Canadian winter. A fireplace, a comfortable sectional and some luxurious throws, and you’ve got the perfect place to watch the snowfall from indoors. What’s not ideal, however, is a new home that feels drafty, takes forever to heat or doesn’t seem to hold heat evenly. Try these tips to make sure your home is as cozy throughout the winter as it should be.
Take good care of your furnace. What’s the first thing we do in our homes at the first sign of winter? Crank the furnace, of course. However, the best way to get optimal use out of your furnace is to maintain it, including changing the filters seasonally. This will make sure your house is being heated thoroughly without air obstructions and it prevents the risk of breathing in stale air or trapped bacteria.
See if you would benefit from extra insulation. If your new home feels drafty or unevenly heated, it might mean you could benefit from adding insulation to trap in more heat. Adding insulation around your attic, exterior vents or any additions on your home that may not be part of the original structure can be an effective of way of sealing in heat and keeping condensation out.
Check your windows. Windows, especially in older homes, can be common places for drafts. A quick way to check if your windows are letting in air? Hold a piece of tissue up to the cracks around your windows and doors and see if it stirs. This will help you identify places that may need caulking or repair before it gets too cold out.
