Why Does My House not Stay Warm?

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Why Does My House not Stay Warm

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Harsh winter? You’re not alone. All this cold weather makes it difficult to keep your house warm, but take heart because there are ways to get through the season without shivering all day.

If you are wondering why your house does not stay warm, then the first step is figuring out how much space you have in your home so that you can figure out what type of heating system will work best for you.

There are many different types of systems available including forced air, radiant heat, and even geothermal energy which uses the earth’s natural temperature as a source of warmth. 

Now let’s talk about some things that might be sabotaging your efforts to stay cozy: drafty windows or doors, vents blowing cool air into the room, and insulation problems.

Why Your House is So Cold Even with the Heating On

As a homeowner, it can be difficult to keep your house warm when the heating system seems to be on but you still feel cold.

The causes of drafts that make your home feel colder are many and varied, from windows that leak air to unsealed floors.

Let’s explore some common causes of drafts in homes and later consider what you can do about them.

Why Your House is So Cold Even with the Heating on

Drafty windows

Drafty windows and doors allow cold air from outside to seep into your house. They are not energy efficient and they can cause you to use more fuel than necessary.

Cracks, nicks, and holes in the window or door frames will allow cool air to flow through them even when closed.

Some other signs that indicate that you have drafty windows are when there are patterns on the curtains or furniture that indicate that the indoor air is flowing away from certain areas of your home.

The easiest way to know if you have inefficient windows is if you feel cold air while you stand next to them. If you notice that to be the case, then you can fix the problem by installing window insulation strips or secondary glazing.

Vents blowing cool air into the room

Vents are there to lead heated air out of your house, but they can also cause cold air to blow into your house which will reduce the heat you feel from the heater.

Moisture buildup from the vent might cause it to drip condensation which could fall onto the floor in front of it. You can also try putting an insulating cover over the vent or placing a towel under it to help conserve your heat.

This is not a permanent solution however, and you may want to invest in a vent cover and insulation kit.

Vents blowing cool air into the room

Insulation problems

The insulation in your house keeps the warm air inside, but if there are holes or gaps then cold air can seep in through them. If you live in an old house, then there might be some areas where the insulation has fallen out or gotten wet which would allow cold air to come inside.

If the insulation is still intact but you are noticing some drafts, then it could be due to gaps between the walls and flooring/window sills.

The typical home insulation is only about R19 but if the insulation that you have in your house is less than this, then it might be time to call a professional as the insulation could be deteriorating over time as a result of wear and tear.

In order to properly insulate your home, you have to have a proper understanding of how insulation works and whether or not it’s equipped to handle the weather

Combination and double-hipped roofs and ceiling joists running across spaced above exterior walls can cause cold spots in your house. This can also affect your energy bills because your heater will have to work harder to keep up with the heat loss.

In order to prevent this from happening, you can install a vapor barrier behind the exterior walls and stop those cold spots from forming.

You can also insulate your attic, as well as your basement, where many homes lose a great deal of heat.

Insulation gaps

If you have been using window and door drafts and insulation gaps as a way to keep warm then this might be why your house does not stay warm.

These simple fixes will help:

  • Start by re-packing insulation in cracks and crevices where necessary.
  • Replace insulation that is not as thick as it should be, especially if you have windows and doors that are not sealed properly.
  • If the weather has caused your windows and doors to become warped or damaged, then you might want to replace them with double pane glass or fiberglass cat flaps. The best choice would bea door or window with a wood frame as this is a very sturdy material.
  • You might also want to consider using storm windows, caulk and weather stripping to seal your windows and doors from cold air leaks.
  • If you have old windows that are drafty, then you should put a plastic trim at the bottom – where the window pane meets the frame – to keep the cold out.

You can also use bubble insulation or foam wrap to fill in cracks and spaces. You can also do this with your windows by putting a plastic strip over the window pane.

How to make your house warmer

Winter is coming and with it comes cold weather. Do you want to know how to make your house warmer? There are plenty of easy ways to do this, but today we’ll talk about the top three that will be sure to keep you warm all winter long.

Turn up the heat

This sounds like an obvious one, but there are different levels of heating depending on what type of home you have; a single-floor house might need less than a two-story.

How to make your house warmer

You should also look into getting something called radiant barrier insulation which can help save money on your energy bill by keeping more heat in your home.

Caulk and weather strip

These are two things that you can do on your own without the help of a professional. These steps will seal up any cracks or openings in your home where cold air might be seeping in.

You should also make sure to get rid of any drafts around doors and windows so there aren’t any spaces where the cold winter wind can get in.

This will help you prevent air from seeping through any crevices, particularly around doors and windows that are not properly sealed. It comes in thick adhesive strips or rolls.

Insulate

Make sure that any areas where air could escape (such as doors or windows) are insulated.

There are a number of ways that you can insulate your home to keep the heat in.

The easiest way is to upgrade the insulation in your attic as insulation usually has a minimum thickness, if yours is running low then it might be worth considering getting an insulation upgrade.

Another place to consider getting insulation is under the floors; this can help to stop cold air from getting in and warmth from leaking out.

Ventilate

The key of course is to keep the warm air inside – but you also need to make sure that any excess warm or moist air leaves your house. This is because it can cause condensation which leads to water damage and mold.

Your floors, walls, and ceilings need some open ventilation for this. You can do this by opening a small window or installing a small fan that will force the warm air out through an outside vent.

Hanging insulation over radiators

If you don’t want exposed insulation in your house, then hang it above your radiators. You can make it a wall feature and hang it using rope or clips, depending on the design.

You should do this even if your home has hardwood floors because there are special pads you can put over your radiators to insulate them while still allowing them to give off heat.

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