6 Cost-Effective Ways to Heat Your Home

September is when the cold slowly begins to creep into Monroe homes. It’s also the month savvy homeowners should begin thinking about alternative heating solutions. From now until mid-November, it’s possible for a household to stay comfortable without turning on the central heat. By searching for alternative, cost-effective ways to heat your home during the transitional window leading up to winter, you can save some money – and keep warm.

The home service experts at Iceberg Heating & Cooling have come up with a few solutions that are ideal for Monroe homeowners. But before you begin looking into these heating options, make sure that fall maintenance has been performed on your HVAC system. HVAC maintenance is truly the most cost-effective way to keep your home safe and energy-efficient all year long.

1. Portable Heaters

Electric portable heaters have come a long way in both safety and energy efficiency. Modern electric designs are 100% efficient – meaning they turn all the electricity used into heat. Use them to keep bedrooms and communal areas warm during frosty fall nights. Though they come in an array of sizes and design options, they work best in contained areas for short periods of time. Make sure to keep them a safe distance away from bedding, curtains, and anything containing fabric.

2. Portable Humidifiers

Low humidity is often a factor in our fall and winter months – which can cause both comfort and health problems. Portable humidifiers are a popular addition to the rooms of newborns, as the extra moisture can help them with dry skin and other common skin conditions including eczema. But utilizing a warm mist humidifier in the bedroom of anyone in the household will also help keep the room warmer – in addition to the health benefits.

3. Low Voltage Heating Blankets/Mattress Pads

New technology has made the uncomfortable and often dangerous heating blanket a thing of the past. Though there are still plenty of poorly-made varieties, low-voltage designs made with quality materials have proven to be extremely safe and durable. Using a heating blanket during the fall will help everyone sleep soundly without having to turn on the HVAC to heat the entire house. Heated mattress pads are also a good way to keep comfortable while keeping the energy bill down.

8 Best Electric Blankets

4. Weather Stripping

In addition to having maintenance performed on your HVAC in the early fall, sealing gaps around doors and windows should also be an annual task. By weatherstripping areas that contain leaks, you can help keep the cold from creeping into your home – and save 10 – 15 percent on your annual energy bill. There are a wide variety of weatherstripping products; each one designed for a different kind of support. Foam tape, vinyl, silicone, and other products can act as effective barriers to help maximize your heating and cooling.

Short Guide to Weather Stripping Options

5. Add Insulation to the Attic

Do you have an attic in your Monroe home? If so, just adding a few more inches of insulation can make a huge difference in retaining heat. This is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to heat your home – as heat rises and can be used more effectively if your home has a properly insulated barrier. Be mindful of the R-Value (the measure of the insulation’s resistance to heat loss). The higher the value of the insulation, the stronger the resistance.

Adding More Insulation

6. Heated Ceiling Fans

A ceiling fan is ideal for maximizing the cooling or heating in your home. In the summer it can help a room feel cooler, while in the winter it can help push the heated air down so that it stays in the air longer. But a traditional ceiling fan can’t help much during the fall when you are not turning on the central air. Indoor heated ceiling fans are a relatively new product (though outdoor models have been around for decades) and work more effectively than portable heaters as they help direct and move the heat through the moving blades. These designs are also great for “cold rooms” that have trouble keeping heat in the winter.

Use these cost-effective ways to heat your home – and ensure your household stays comfortable throughout the increasingly chilly Michigan fall. You’ll discover that with the right combination of solutions, you can keep everyone warm and save money on heating before the temperatures begin to drastically plummet. And when you need assistance with your heating system, make sure that you give the home service experts at Iceberg Heating & Cooling a call at 734-342-3420.

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