Home décor is not just a matter of beautification. Maintenance plays a bigger role in your DIY choices than you might think. There are a number of things you can do, in terms of home décor that combines both form and function. Taking such steps now can ensure your home or apartment remains beautiful and secure for however long it is in your possession.
Winter-proofing your home is a good example of what we are talking about. You don’t have to spend a bunch of money to keep your home beautiful, while keeping energy costs and other considerations low. You certainly don’t have to be an expert on home décor, maintenance, or anything else along those lines.
Easy Ways to Winter-Proof Your Property
Let’s take a look at some of the easiest ways to winter-proof your space on a budget. Doing so can not only reduce your carbon footprint, but it can also keep you and your family service. To be sure, you can also save on your monthly energy costs:
- Curtains: Thick, heavily-lined curtains are considerably cheaper than investing in something along the lines of double-glazed windows. Consider those, too, but curtains along these lines, which should be kept closed whenever possible, can accomplish a lot on their own.
- Heating the house: For rooms you aren’t presently using, or don’t use very often, keep the doors closed, in addition to keeping the heat off.
- Door draughts: The space between the door and the ground can create a draught. Such a space can force your HVAC system to work harder during the winter. This in turn forces you to spend more money on heating, while simultaneously wearing down the system more quickly. A blanket, or even something made from old clothing, offer a near-universal solution.
- Sealing gaps: This suggestion ties in to the one we just mentioned above. The gaps around doors and windows are highly problematic, in terms of keeping your home properly insulated. Strips designed for insulation are very affordable. You can also opt to use old clothing again. Regardless, what you want to do is block up any cracks or gaps that you find along or around your doors and/or windows. Do not cover up your air vents. Doing so can create a blockage which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning!
- More gaps to seal: The cracks and gaps along your doors and windows are not the only things you can seal up to save money/protect your health. The DIY solution here will involve sealing up your cracks and gaps with a silicone filler. Rolling up some newspapers is also an option for those who want to spend as little money as humanly possible.
Conclusion
From insulating pipes and hot water tanks, to adding a thermostat for accurate heat regulating, there are a lot of simple DIY winter-proof tips around the house.
You can also head online to take an energy efficiency quiz. These are offered in many countries through one government agency or another. They can give you a range of tips specific to your home and situation.
