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Keeping your home warm without central heat may seem difficult, but luckily there are many great solutions. Central heat can be expensive to install and requires you to heat the entire home, not just the areas where people spend the most time. Alternative heating options can be more economical and provide more flexibility to your home’s comfort.
1. Install a Wood Burning Stove
Just like in days past, wood burning stoves are a great way to keep your home warm. Wood burning stoves work best for homes with ready access to wood. Purchasing the wood can start to add up so it’s important to keep that in mind. Wood burning stoves put off a great deal of heat, and keeping the stove burning requires constant monitoring.
Burning wood also adds contaminants to the air. If using a wood burning stove, it is important to make sure that the indoor air quality stays within safe levels.
Create Your Own with Wood Burning Stove Kits and 55-Gallon Drums
One of the best aspects of wood burning stoves is that they aren’t hard to build. DIY kits can allow you to make your own wood burning stove from a 55-gallon drum. When looking for the quickest, cheapest way to add heat to your home, a DIY wood burning stove is hard to beat.
2. Utilize Fire in Fireplace and Block Chimney When Not in Use
A step up from a wood burning stove is a built-in fireplace. Wood burning fireplaces are very similar to the stoves discussed earlier, but some fireplaces are designed to run on natural gas. Natural gas fireplaces simplify the entire process, but the price of the gas can add up quickly.
A fireplace is a great way to warm your home, but be sure to block the chimney when not in use. Without closing off your unused fireplace, the fireplace can go from a great way to heat your home to a great way for heat to leave your home. Don’t let your home’s heat escape through your chimney.
3. Make Sure All Doors and Windows Are Properly Sealed
Heating your home is one thing, but keeping it heated can be another challenge entirely. Check that all doors and windows are properly sealed. Inspect the gasketing to make sure it is in good shape and replace anything damaged. Good, tight seals on your windows and doors prevents heat from leaking out which can have a huge impact on the cost to heat your home as well as how comfortable the rooms in your home feel.
4. Cook Often
Cooking often is a fun and effective way to heat your home. As the food is cooking, much of the heat from the stove or oven leaks into the kitchen and out into your home. While using your oven to heat your home shouldn’t be your main plan of action, long cooks can be a great, and delicious, addition to any winter heating plan.
Long Cooks on Stove via Broths and Soups
When deciding what to cook on your stovetop, consider adding in some broths and soups. Not only do nice long cooks give flavors time to develop, the heat and humidity that these recipes give off will make your home much more comfortable.
Long Bakes in the Oven via Braising, Baking, and Roasting
When using the oven, look for low-temp, long cook time recipes. Braising, baking, and roasting are great recipes to look for. The long cook times will help gently heat your home and the delicious smells are an added bonus.
5. Install Insulated Curtain Liners to Trap Heat
Heat can not only seep out around your window’s seals, but through your window too. Insulated curtain liners are a great way to help trap in heat. Insulated curtain liners are an efficient and quick way to keep your windows insulated when not in use.
6. Allow as Much Sunlight to Hit Home as Possible via Landscaping
One of the most efficient ways to heat your home is to let the Sun do it for you. Allowing the sunlight to warm your home means the heat will last longer as the entire home’s structure has to cool back down. Choose landscaping that maximizes how much of the Sun’s energy will land on your home.
7. Verify Attic and/or Crawl Spaces Are Fully Insulated
Attics and crawl spaces can be weak links in a home’s insulation. If these spaces are not properly insulated, heat can rapidly leave through these areas. Make sure the attic and crawl spaces are fully insulated and the insulation is in good condition.
8. Put Down Rugs and Carpet
Rugs and carpets are a fun way to add a bit of insulation to your home. Just like blankets help us warm up, adding a rug or carpet to the floor is like adding a blanket to your home. This quick way to add insulation to your floor can also help liven up the space and they can be changed over time to adapt to different styles.
9. Light Candles – They Put Out Surprising Amounts of Heat
Candles not only make rooms more inviting, but they put out a great deal of heat too. Just a few candles can make a surprising difference to a room’s comfortability. The other great aspect of candles is they put out heat in a less centralized way, making the room more comfortable. Never leave candles burning unattended and be sure that they are not near any flammable objects.
10. Install Radiant Floor Heating
Arguably the best alternative to central heat, radiant floor heating is an energy-efficient and effective solution to home heating. Radiant floor heating is installed underneath floors like tile, porcelain, wood, etc. The system warms the floor and radiates heat to the people in the room. Since the entire floor is warmed, people in the room will feel like they are wrapped in comfort.
Benefits of Utilizing Radiant Floor Heating Over Central Heat
Radiant floor heating systems radiate heat instead of heating up the air, so the energy goes straight to the occupants. Less energy leaks out too since the air isn’t at as high of a temperature. Even when coupled with central heat, radiant floor heating allows the temperature of the air to be kept at a lower temperature.
Select the Best Radiant Floor Heating System with Warmup
Choosing the right radiant floor heating system for your home increases the value and comfort of your home. Without central heat, radiant floor heating systems can change the entire feel of these indoor spaces. To learn more about how radiant floor systems can transform your home, reach out to the experts at Warmup today.