If you love the snow, you just might be the opposite of a snowbird. While everyone around you is heading south for winter break, you are spending your holiday hitting the slopes, pulling out the snowshoes, and playing in the snow. But even snow lovers want a warm, cozy place to snuggle down in at night. If your vacation home is set somewhere within a dazzling winter wonderland, here are some tips for staying warm inside.
Open Blinds During the Day
Even in subzero temperatures, you would be surprised by how effective sunlight is at warming the house up. Before you head out on your winter adventures, open all the blinds and curtains throughout the entire house and let the sunlight in. On a sunny day, opening the blinds naturally warms the house far more than if you keep the blinds down. However, the opposite is true if the day is gray. And be sure to close the blinds at sunset. Closed blinds provide an added barrier against the cold.
Update the Insulation
Your winter vacation home might have been built with insufficient insulation. Or, your insulation could be aging, which can decrease its effectiveness. Either way, it might be time to add insulation. Common spaces where insulation can easily be added are over existing insulation in the attic, around ductwork, and in the basement. A great way to add insulation in the basement is if the floors from above are exposed. If so, simply add insulation sheets to the planks that sit in between the floor joists. Another easy place to add insulation is to the inside of your garage doors. Keeping your garage warm is a major factor in keeping the house warm.
Weatherstrip the Windows and Doors
A drafty house is a cold house. Installing weatherstripping to your windows and doors is a great way to prevent drafts. Adding weatherstripping is an easy DIY project. There are easy, peel and stick weather stripping varieties, as well as nail on ones. However, the easy way is not always the best way. Self-sticking weatherstripping is the easiest to install, but it only works on perfectly flat, smooth, and clean surfaces. Additionally, it can come off after a lot of use. Weatherstripping that you nail or staple into place tends to last longer, and you can choose between rubber, vinyl, and felt. Whatever material you use, be sure to remove any old weatherstripping before you install the new.
Add a Fireplace
After a cold day outside, nothing beats cuddling up in front of the fire with the people you love and a warm cup of hot chocolate in your hands. If your winter vacation home isn’t equipped with a fireplace, rectify the situation right away! Not only does a crackling fire create that cozy ambience we all love, but they also add a lot of heat to any room. When everyone is gathered in front of the fireplace, there is no need to blast the central heat at full throttle. Gas fireplaces are a natural looking, energy-efficient way to heat a room. You can install one in an existing wood-burning fireplace box. This version uses the flu and is called a vented gas fireplace. If you don’t have a flu, you can still install an unvented gas fireplace. These typically have a blower that shoots all the heat it produces into the room. However, don’t forget proper safety measures. A fireplace requires a lot of maintenance to keep clean and running efficiently.
Utilize Space Heaters
While you wouldn’t run a space heater for hours on end, nor use it to heat a large space, space heaters are another good way to zone heat a smaller area. There are varieties that come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from simple fan-like heaters to highly programmable high-tech ones. They also come with a wide range of heating mechanisms. Ceramic heaters run heat through ceramic plates and work very quickly. Contrary to their name, oil heaters do not run on oil. They use electricity to heat diathermic oil which then disperses that heat through the room. Infrared heaters radiate heat by sending out electromagnetic waves. Fan heaters simply heat a metal coil and blow air over it to emit the heat.
Install Weather Resistant Windows and Doors
If weather stripping still isn’t enough, it may mean that your windows and doors are lacking sufficient insulation. Fiberglass insulated doors are virtually impermeable to the cold. Other good options are solid wood and insulated metal doors. As far as windows go, choose designs with multiple panes, a water-tight seal, and a good layer of air between the panes.
Load Up on Blankets
You can never have too many blankets to cozy up in on a cold winter’s night. Just remember, not all blankets are created equal. Some blankets aren’t worth the space they take up, and others exhibit serious toastiness! Electric blankets are always a good choice, but there are other snug options that don’t require electricity. Down is like lying in your own fluffy cloud of personal insulation. Wool is like a heavy sheet of nature’s warmth. And then there is the famously warm and soft fleece blanket. But as warm as these materials are, don’t underestimate the many layers and heartwarming capabilities of a cotton quilt.
Invest in a Hot Tub
Nothing penetrates the innermost fibers of your being and warms you to the core quite like a hot tub. After being chilled to the bone while out on adventures all day, a soak in the tub is just what you need to relieve sore muscles and thoroughly defrost. New models are even energy efficient, with plenty of insulation and tightly fitting, heat-retaining covers. When you go hot tub shopping, look for one that is specifically designed to withstand even the coldest winters.
If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to ensuring that you have a warm and cozy winter vacation home. You will always have a place to thaw out and warm up. Best of all, you can relax, secure in the knowledge that the cold is stuck where it belongs—outside.
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