How To Reduce Heat Loss From Windows

When heating your home in the winter, it’s important to be mindful of your home’s energy use. These tips and tricks will help you save money without freezing.

As the last remaining leaves fall and temperatures start to drop, you are probably thinking about ways to stay warm this winter. Hopefully you have already swapped the autumn clothing in your closet for thick jackets, wool sweaters and snow boots. But when freezing weather hits, warm clothing can only go so far. You also need to keep your home comfortable.

The easiest way to keep any house warm is to use a central heating system. However, relying too heavily on these systems can be very expensive — especially if your home is not maintaining the heat.

Heat loss can occur through the roof, walls, windows and floors of any home, and it can have detrimental effects on your utility bills. Naturally, the more hot air escaping from a home, the more energy (and money) required to maintain its temperature. So in order to keep your home comfortable without breaking the bank, reducing heat loss is critical.

Fortunately, there are several ways to reduce heat loss in a home. Some of them are fairly technical or require big purchases. But even a few quick, easy fixes can help you save money on energy consumption this winter.

Tips & Tricks

Curtains

One of the cheapest, most effective ways to prevent your home from losing heat is to cover the openings with curtains. Usually, thick curtains with special thermal linings are easy to find and fairly inexpensive. Simply hanging these curtains in front of windows and doors can add another layer of protection between your living space and the frigid outdoors.

Sunlight

Remember that big yellow disk in the sky that kept you sweating all summer? Well, it turns out that disk stays hot all winter too. While it may not feel like the sun is working during, say, a snowstorm, it is still the cheapest way to keep your home warm and well-lit. So during the afternoon, try to capture as much natural sunlight as possible. To maximize the effect, close your curtains right at sunset.

Close Off Unused Rooms

Naturally, it is cheaper to heat a smaller home than a large one — the less square footage, the less energy required to keep it cozy. This in mind, one way to reduce heat loss from your home is to minimize its surface area by closing unused rooms. Keeping doors shut prevents cold air from spreading throughout the house and contains the heat you’ve generated within a smaller, accessible living space.

Infrastructure

Set timers

The fastest way to spike your utility bill is by leaving your heat running 24/7. Not only is this expensive, but it is also wasteful, since you usually will not be home all day. To save money without sacrificing the benefits of central heat, try relying on thermostat timers. Even when it’s unusually cold, simply switch the heating time to earlier in the day rather than turning the temperature up drastically.

Replace drafty windows

If there is a specific area of your home that simply will not stay warm, then it’s possible you are experiencing drafts. To find out, try holding a candle up to that area’s closest window and watch the flame. Does it flicker? If so, it’s likely that your windows have drafts.

Drafts are one of the most common — and most detrimental — causes of heat loss in the home. Not only are they uncomfortable, but they’re also unnecessarily costly, wasting expensive energy by letting heat easily leave. Depending on the severity, drafty windows can justify an immediate window replacement — especially in the winter. Otherwise, prepare yourself for skyrocketing bills.

Invest in double glazing

If the heat loss through your windows is drastic enough to require a replacement, you probably want to invest in double glazing. While traditional windows contain just a single sheet of glass, double glazed windows are comprised of two sheets of glass separated by an insulating air gap. This air gap creates an additional layer of insulation, preventing heat loss while still allowing sunlight into the home.

Usually, double glazed windows are more expensive than single glazed. However, the initial setup costs are offset by the savings that come from reduced energy use. At Windowrama, we stock double glazed windows from all the premium national brands — including Andersen, Marvin and more.

Next Steps

Hopefully, the tips and tricks outlined above are enough to help solve your heat loss problem this winter. But if your issue persists or your windows are especially drafty, you may want to consider replacing them before the first snowfall.

As mentioned, double glazed windows are the best option for reducing heat loss in the home, since their air gaps create an additional layer of insulation. However, when it comes to insulation, a quality installation is equally important as the quality of the windows being installed.

At WindowRama, we not only stock a variety of high-quality windows and doors, but we offer professional installation at reasonable prices. Our licensed, insured staff can make sure your new windows are installed in accordance with their manufacturers’ recommendations and help keep your home cozy throughout the coldest months. Come visit us today!