Turn Up the Heat: Add some warmth to your home this winter
Posted October 13th, 2009 by PaigeIt’s cold and windy outside and I’ve been reluctant to do anything that involves leaving my nest of three blankets. So, I’ve got “staying warm” on the brain, and thinking about heat in the home, here are some things to make your life a little warmer.
Fireplaces
There are lots of options for fireplaces. There are gas ones that can turn on with the flick of a switch, or more traditional wood burning ones. Some have wood mantels, others are stone or brick. There is a fireplace to fit any home. You can have one added, or of course, you can rework the one you’ve already got. Instead of talking about a prefectly placed mantel, I’m just going to share a lovely example of fireplace perfection, it’s like I’ve reached HVAC nirvana…
(Via Martha Stewart)
The Luxury of Warmth:
If you love being warm, then adding heating components to often cold places might interest you. I mentioned in an earlier post about a towel warming drawer, but you can also add radiant flooring, or heated towel racks to your bathroom. Cold feet in winter would be a thing of the past by adding radiant tiles which heat the floor underneath your feet. Warming racks are less of expensive than the truly luxurious towel warming drawer, but, are a great addition to make your bathroom feel more cozy. Plus, they could be an easy DIY project on a rainy weekend.
Heating Systems:
The debate continues on electric versus gas, but there is no question having a modern HVAC system will ensure that you stay warm and save money. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, this may be the year to consider it. You can program your heat to kick up when you’re at home and lower when you’re gone. You can save 2% on your heating bill for each degree lower you go on your thermostat, so by having it lower when you’re away, you are saving money!
Of course, the first thing I want to do when the fall chill comes along is run out and get a gorgeous new pair of boots and a snuggly winter coat, but making the inside of your home as cozy as possible will likely have a longer lasting impact than the season’s winter wardrobe.
Need more advice on all things HVAC? Check out our other HVAC resources, or, start your HVAC project with free estimates from local professionals.
Tags: fireplace, HVAC system, radiant flooring, thermostat
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October 13th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
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October 15th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
I’m anti fake fire. I like hearing the crackling of a fire; looking at an LCD screen with a fire on it won’t cut it. I used to have a pellet stove and it was a pain because you had to shop vac it out, buy pallets of pellets…that was really hard to type…then you’d have to stick a match in there after you squirted it with the fluid - and it wasn’t any better for the environment.
It should be a requirement that everyone have a programmable thermostat…but that would mean people would have to understand how to use it which might pose a problem.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
There’s nothing like a fireplace to make a room feel warm. I like many of the new environmentally friendly, ventless, flueless models that burn denatured ethanol. Not as warm and crackly as the wood burning type, but they make a fireplace accessible just about anywhere. You can get a free-standing model, or have a beautiful setting built-in by your remodeler and put the burning mechanism in it. Endless possibilities!