6 Easy Changes You Can Make To Keep Your Home Warm on a Budget

We’re officially in the winter stretch, and in many parts of the country, temperatures have plunged—leaving many homeowners struggling with how to beat the chill.

Staying warm is a serious matter: A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Foundation examined Centers for Disease Control data and found that the number of deaths related to cold weather is on the rise. Just as climate change helped bring about more extreme summer weather, it also affected how severe our winters are.

That’s why it’s more important than ever that homeowners take precautions to keep themselves and their families warm. Thankfully, there are some easy things you can do to winterproof and warm your home.

Work with what you’ve already got

The quickest and easiest way to warm up your house is to make sure that you’re capturing the warm air already in your home, says Robert Hamerly, the CEO and founder of GreenSavers, a Portland, OR, energy contractor.

“This can look like making sure your ceiling fans are reversed to circulate warm air and adding rugs and drapes to bare floors and windows,” he says. “Sealing leaks can be quick and easy as well, with weatherstripping from the hardware store, or even rolled-up towels in front of drafty windows and doors in a pinch.”

Rearranging your living space can also have a big impact.

“Move your furniture around so that you sit near interior walls instead of exterior ones,” suggests Richie Drew, vice president of operations at One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning. “This will help keep you warmer, while also creating a more intimate space.”

Get your thermostat in the right range

“Cold” means something different to everyone, but the Department of Energy recommends that you keep your thermostat between 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter, and lower it at night and when you’re away from your home to prevent your HVAC system from being overworked.

Mind the gaps

You can lose an unbelievable amount of heat from small cracks and openings.

“One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to improve warmth is to seal any drafts around windows and doors,” suggests Geno Caccia, CEO of Caccia Plumbing in San Mateo, CA. “Most people do not realize just how much cold weather creeps in this way. Weatherstripping or caulking small gaps can make a noticeable difference in keeping cold air out and warm air in. It’s a quick fix that’s also easy on the wallet.”

Caccia also recommends investing in thermal curtains, which add more insulation around windows.

“Closing them at night helps retain heat, while opening them during sunny hours allows natural warmth to come in,” adds Caccia.

Keep your heating sources in tiptop shape

Practicing good furnace hygiene—including keeping filters clean and changed—will lower your heating bills and extend the life of your heating system, says Christine Ciavardini of MD Energy Advisors in Baltimore.

Ciavardini also suggests turning the temperature of your water heater down to 120 degrees.

“Most gas water heaters are set to 140 degrees. Every 10-degree reduction in temperature can save up to 5% on gas water heating costs,” she adds. Insulating your water heater can also help save energy.

There are also ways to make your radiators more efficient.

“Bleeding radiators is a very effective method for improving your home’s heating efficiency,” says New York City–based interior designer Isfira Jensen. “By releasing any trapped air in these units, you can improve radiator performance by up to 15%. This zero-cost maintenance task leads to significant reductions in energy consumption and ultimately heating costs.

Jensen also recommends placing foil behind your radiators “to reflect heat back into rooms.”

“This inexpensive modification will significantly boost radiator efficiency,” she says.

Invest in a DIY window kit

Replacing the drafty, thin-paned windows in older homes can cost thousands of dollars. Instead, Simon Bernath, CEO of FurnacePrices.ca, suggests using a little piece of plastic.

“DIY window kits with transparent plastic can really help cut down on drafts and save quite a bit of energy and money,” he says. “DIY weather-sealing kits are also a good way to add some extra air sealing, especially around older exterior doors.”

You can find a kit for as little as $5.

Start planning for next winter—now

If you’ve got a bit more time, or are already planning your heating strategy for next year, Hamerly recommends investing in a high-efficiency heat pump.

“Heat pumps double as cooling systems in warmer months and cost much less than gas-reliant HVAC,” he says. “To make your system that much more effective and efficient, I highly recommend layering efficiency upgrades. A heat pump will serve you exponentially better, for example, if you pair it with upgraded insulation. The time and cost it takes to make these upgrades will pay for themselves in short order.”