Don't Let The Cold Sink In

In the human consciousness, there is no worst winter word than cold. Nobody likes to be cold. Your body shivers. Your extremities feel numb. You find yourself trying to shrink into your own skin in an effort to warm up. Arms crossed against your torso; this is the universal symbol for being cold. But winter doesn’t have to feel like that. You can take preventive measures to make sure your home stays warm this season. 

Is winter coming?

Is it coming from the roof?

Did you know that your home can lose up to 30% of its heat through the roof? Indeed, poor insulation in the attic area is often the cause of cold rooms in the upper part of the house. Additionally, if your roof is damaged – or old, as roofs have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years – you might need to consider planning for repair and maintenance. You’re likely to be able to tell whether your roof or attic needs attention rapidly. A damaged roof can lead to leakage, which is noticeable on the ceiling during rainy days. Similarly, you can also touch the ceiling of your rooms. If it’s cold, your attic lacks insulation. 

Is your home not appropriately heated?

Your heating system is crucial during the winter months. You can’t keep your family warm if you can’t trust your boiler or heater. One thing is for sure; if you need furnace repair, it’s best to schedule it as early as possible. The longer you wait, the colder the house will be. Ultimately, what are the signs there’s something wrong? Your heaters need a long time to get to temperature, or they can’t maintain the temperature. 

Your furnace doesn’t react to the thermostat. 

The electrical heating unit makes a clicking noise.  

Is the home too well heated?

You’ll be surprised to know that sometimes your heating works a little too well. Indeed, if you overeat your home, you are at risk of drying the indoor air. When the air is too dry, it can feel cooler than it is, forcing you to turn up the heating some more. Additionally, it can also lead to dry skin and respiratory troubles. To prevent extreme air dryness, you need to maintain the air moisture above 30%. 

Is it coming from the ground?

If your basement doesn’t have any insulation, you might struggle with a cold floor. Additionally, you could lose some of your heat through the ground, making it hard to stay warm. Thankfully, there’s an easy solution to the problem. Insulating your basement is the work of a weekend. For amateur DIY-ers, you could sort out this issue fairly quickly. 

Are your windows air-tight?

Last, but not least, while windows are often listed as the main reason for houses to be cold in winter, your property loses less than 10% heat through poorly insulated windows. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider tackling the problem. You can insulate your windows for good with secondary glazing and even triple glazing. For tight budgets, adding thick curtains can make a great deal of difference! 

Don’t let your home get cold this winter. You don’t need to break the bank to stay warm. All it takes is to figure out where the source of cold lies. Whether it’s under the roof and in the furnace, there’s a solution to most heating failures.