Winter Empowerment Guide

Don’t let cold weather get the best of you and your family this year.

Despite all of winter’s wonders like blankets of fluffy snow and mugs of hot cocoa by the fireplace, this season can be tough to get through. Sometimes spring feels an eternity away. If you’ve ever found yourself counting down the days to warmer weather as you pile on the sweaters, these tips are for you:

Move furniture away from vents and radiators.

Your HVAC is already hard at work keeping you and your family comfortable and cozy inside. When furniture blocks vents and radiators, it disrupts the airflow and blocks the heat, making your HVAC work even harder (likely increasing that energy bill!).

Luckily there’s an easy solution: Take a look around each room in your home and adjust any too-close furniture so that it’s at least 6-12 inches away from a heating source. This distance will also help prevent potential heat damage to that furniture.

Swap your normal drapes for thermal curtains.

During the darker months of winter, windows are especially important to help us savor the limited daylight. However, we lose roughly 30% of our home’s heating energy through windows.¹ To help retain your home’s heat, try hanging thermal curtains. These cold-weather window treatments are made of multiple layers of fabric and thick padding that act as a barrier between any air entering through windows and the rest of your home.

Change your HVAC air filter.

Regular air filter changes help keep your appliance running efficiently. A clogged filter means your HVAC has to work harder to pump warm air through your home. It also puts the appliance at risk of an impending breakdown — and you definitely don’t want to be without heat this time of year!

Check your air filter now and make sure you have some extras handy to get you through the cold months. Friendly reminder: Swap your 1” air filter at least every three months for optimal performance.

Use a hot water bottle to stay extra toasty.

When you think of a hot water bottle, you may think its sole use is to alleviate aches and pains. However, it also works remarkably well as a personal heat source. Before you bump the thermostat up a few degrees, fill up a hot water bottle. Keep it with you at your desk or on the couch, or try placing it at the bottom of your bed under the covers a few minutes before you climb in for added warmth.

Important safety tips! Never fill the water bottle with freshly boiled water. Wait a few minutes after the water is done boiling to avoid burns, and only fill the vessel two-thirds full, max. Finally, make sure the cap is screwed on tight to prevent leaks.

Reverse the direction of ceiling fans.

Ceiling fans are a staple to help keep us cool in the summer, but did you know they’re useful in the winter, too? When you reverse the direction of the fan’s rotation on a low speed in the winter, it creates an upward draft, forcing the warm air that’s risen toward the ceiling down into the rest of the room.

Sources

1. “Energy Efficient Window Coverings.” U.S. Department of Energy. 2023.