3 Tips for Improving Your Heat Distribution
If you live in an older home or apartment, deteriorating insulation, an older HVAC system, or structural damage can create problems when heating your residence. Even if you do not have the money for significant repairs to improve energy efficiency or cannot invest in a new heating system, there are ways to make your home more comfortable during the cooler months.
Fix Areas of Heat Loss
Old and poor-fitting doors and windows are culprits for heat loss and cold air entering your residence. When the weather begins to turn cold, it is time for weatherproofing your home. Add shrink film to your windows. This is plastic that is placed over the outside of your window, and a heat gun or hair dryer is used to shrink the film to a tight fit. Another option is to use the appropriate caulking around the perimeter of window frames to keep the cold air out. Apply a bead of caulking around the window frame inside and outside of the residence to increase the chances of filling all gaps.
It can be harder to prevent cold air from seeping in around doors. Make sure door sweeps are installed properly with the minimum gap necessary for the door to function. You may also want to place a towel at the base of the door, or make sure a rug is butted against the bottom of the door to minimize air flow.
Utilize Ceiling Fans
If you have a ceiling fan that you rarely use, this is a good time to make use of it. Since heat rises toward the ceiling, the ceiling fan can be used to recirculate warm air and push it back toward the bottom of the room. The fan should be turned on, so it rotates in a clockwise direction for this to work. You should also turn the fan on its lowest setting, so it simply circulates the warm air from your heating system, not cool the area. If you do not have a ceiling fan, you might try using a personal box fan and placing it high up on a bookshelf to see if you notice any difference. Simply helping the air circulate may help cold spots in your home, especially on the lower levels of your residence.
Keep Interior Doors Closed
Keep closet doors and unoccupied rooms closed to maintain the heat in the living areas of the residence. It may also help to close air vents to areas that are unoccupied, so more of the heat travels to where it is needed. Close the doors of bedrooms and bathrooms to retain as much heat as possible. Otherwise the heat may simply travel into the hallways without effectively heating the rooms. During the daytime, you might want to keep the blinds open to allow sunlight in to help with heating.
When you live in a residence with poor heat distribution, it is not always feasible to make significant repairs. Trying different tactics to improve heat distribution can improve the effectiveness of your current heating situation. To learn more, talk to companies like Henry's Service All.
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