Are you tired of drafts and never quite feeling warm in some of the spaces of your home? You might have accepted that the garage isn’t supposed to be cozy and the backyard shed might never be comfortable, but the furnished parts of your home can be more comfortable without your family needing 17 layers of clothes and blankets. There are plenty of ways to turn that drafty igloo you call home into a toasty haven. Let’s explore some effective ideas to fix a home to keep you warm and your sanity intact.
1. Weird Science: Figure Out the Draft’s Source
It’s easy to blame your entire home for being perpetually frigid, but sometimes the culprit is a sneaky draft from a specific area. Ever walk by a window and feel like you just stepped through an Arctic tundra? That’s a telltale sign you might have a leaky frame or inadequate insulation. Same goes for doors, attics, and even electrical outlets (yes, they can often leak air, too.).
A quick experiment on a breezy day (or when the heater is cranked up and you feel that chill creeping in) is to walk around your home with a lit candle or incense stick. If the flame or smoke starts dancing wildly, you’ve found the draft. It might look like you’re performing some ritual to appease the house gods, but hey, at least you’ll pinpoint exactly where that annoying breeze is coming from. (And seriously….don’t mess with the house gods, either.)
Once you’ve identified the top suspects, you can launch your plan of attack to fix a home so it is warm enough—covering, insulating, or outright replacing whatever’s causing the chill.
2. Choose the Right Windows, Because Glass Isn’t Just Glass
Windows have two jobs—to let in light and keep out the weather. Yet if your home never feels warm enough, there’s a good chance your windows are slacking on that second duty. Maybe they’re old, single-pane throwbacks that belonged to your grandmother’s era. Or maybe the seals have deteriorated over time, turning your windows into just holes in the wall.
When it’s time for an upgrade, searching for “new windows near me” might feel daunting, but local professionals can be lifesavers here. Not only can newer windows cut down on your energy bills, but they—along with proper installation—can also keep that bone-chilling air exactly where it belongs—outside. Bonus points if you opt for triple-pane windows with gas fills (think argon or krypton, though sadly not the superhero kind). Your wallet and your toes will thank you when you’re no longer cranking the heat to oblivion.
If a full window replacement isn’t in the cards right now, you can try window insulation kits, heavy-duty curtains, or even old-school draft stoppers in the meantime. Sure, it’s not as glamorous, but those plastic films can do wonders in a pinch to fix a home so it is warm enough.
3. Embrace Your Inner Caveman: Layer Up That Insulation
If you think insulation is just that itchy stuff in your walls, you’re only half right. While upgrading the insulation in your attic or crawl space can certainly help keep your home cozy, there are other forms of “insulating” you can do to fix a home so it is warm enough, too.
Take rugs, for instance. Throwing down plush rugs on hardwood or tile floors doesn’t just make your place look cozier—it also helps trap heat. This is especially helpful if your floors are about as warm as an ice rink at midnight in January. If you can install a radiant heat flooring system, do it. It’s a game changer when it comes to warming up basements and other spaces that are notoriously cold or have tile floors. Also, thick drapes or thermal curtains are another hack to prevent heat from escaping through windows at night.
It might sound old-fashioned, but sealing off unused rooms can also help. Why pay to heat that guest bedroom nobody visits? Close the vents, shut the door, and focus your warmth on the rooms you actually use. Your furnace will thank you for the reduced workload, and you might finally stop feeling like you need to sleep in a parka.
4. Play with Fire, Responsibly
There’s something about a fireplace that just screams warmth and comfort. If you’re lucky enough to have a working fireplace (or a wood-burning stove), put it to good use. There’s nothing quite like the crackle of burning logs on a freezing cold night. It might also reduce your reliance on the central heating system, which is nice for the planet and your monthly bills.
However, fireplaces can be fickle and you might not feel warm enough when you are near it. If your chimney or flue is older than your Aunt Mildred, you’ll want to get it inspected and cleaned. A poorly maintained fireplace can actually let cold air swoop down the chimney, turning your cozy living room into a winter wonderland—minus the fun. Don’t forget to close the damper when the fireplace isn’t in use. Otherwise, you’re basically leaving a giant open window at the top of your house.
No fireplace? Consider investing in an electric one for ambiance. It might not give you the same nostalgic smell of burning wood, but it can still add supplemental heat and keep your toes from morphing into ice cubes.
5. Harness the Power of the Sun (for Free)
Believe it or not, that big shiny orb in the sky can significantly help warm your home—even in winter. If you’re constantly lamenting how your place never stays warm, try opening up your curtains and blinds during the day, especially on the south-facing side (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway). This free solar gain can make a room noticeably warmer, sometimes by several degrees. It’s an easy way to fix a home so it is warm enough.
Once evening hits, close those curtains or blinds to trap that extra warmth. Think of it like tucking your home in for the night. (I say goodnight to my home every night before bed by tidying up, turning off lights, and lowering blinds.) If you’re extra ambitious, you might consider installing large windows on your south-facing walls to maximize that winter sun. But if you’re not remodeling, just do what you can with what you have. Sunlight is free, after all, and harnessing it is one of the simplest ways to help your place feel a bit less like the inside of a refrigerator.
6. Service Your HVAC, Because Maintenance Isn’t Just for Cars
You wouldn’t drive your car for a decade without ever popping the hood, right? (At least, let’s hope not.) The same logic applies to your home’s heating system. A neglected furnace or heat pump can become less efficient over time, meaning you’ll be blasting it at full tilt and still wondering why you’re as chilly as a popsicle.
Scheduling annual HVAC checkups can help catch issues before they spiral into full-blown crises, where you have to really fix a home mess. Dirty filters, clogged vents, and failing parts can all sabotage your home’s ability to stay warm. Replacing filters on a regular schedule (think every 4 to 6 months, and more often if you have pets or are remodeling) can also do wonders for airflow. Not only will you feel warm enough, but you’ll also likely see lower energy bills—two birds, one well-maintained furnace.
7. Let’s Talk Doors and Weatherstripping
Remember that lit candle test we talked about earlier? Once you’ve confirmed that a certain door or window is leaking air, you’ll want to give some serious attention to weatherstripping. If you can literally see daylight creeping in around your exterior doors, that’s a major sign of heat loss.
Basic weatherstripping materials are cheap and easy to install, so this is a key DIY project even if you’d typically classify yourself as someone who can easily fix a home. Consider adding a door sweep at the bottom as well, because cold air likes to weasel its way in through any crack it can find. Don’t forget interior doors that lead to unheated spaces like garages or attics—those can be culprits too, leaving you with a frosty draft that never seems to disappear.
No matter what type of door you have, there’s a weatherstripping solution for it. With a bit of patience, you’ll feel the difference in your home’s temperature and your monthly energy bill.
Here’s to a cozy, and more importantly, warm enough home for you and your family.
