4 Fall Energy Saving Tips for a Cozy Michigan Home
4 Tips for a Warm and Cozy Michigan Home: How to Prepare During Fall Months
Tips on how to create a brighter and warmer home this fall without using more energy or paying dearly after cranking up your home’s thermostat. Winter is coming to the Twin Cities. With it comes cold temperatures, small amounts of sunlight, and lots of snow. This combination can be enough to make anyone feel depressed or like they’ve made a mistaking moving to Minnesota. The cold months don’t have to be a drag though! Making small improvements and changes on your home can brighten up these dreary months.
1) Prepare For Your Home’s Winter View & Warmth Windows Heat flow can also move through your home’s exterior windows if they are not well insulated – wherever there is a difference in temperature. Insulate them with supplies from your local hardware store.
Then, make your home’s window’s sparkle for pristine views when looking out from the warmth of your home’s interior come winter. Your windows will control how much cold weather gets in and how much heat goes out. Make sure that you take all steps necessary before the brutal winds hit. Put all your storm panes down and make sure windows are securely latched. If you live in an older house or have leaky windows, put weather-stripping in any big gaps. Finish this up by sealing your windows with plastic. It may not be the prettiest thing, but will save you hundreds by creating a tight seal on all those leaks.
It’s also important to have clean windows so that you can savor what sunlight there is. Make sure that you give your panes a thorough washing before it chills so that you can enjoy each run of sunlight without a layer of dust in front of it. You can also take off your screens for the winter. They don’t provide any extra protection and can muddle the sunlight.
2) Get Ready to Better Air Quality Indoors – To ensure that the heavy snowfalls just ahead don’t snap weak branches, give them a trim and bring several indoors to decorate your home. With most Michigan vegetation hibernating outside, add new plants and branches indoors for improving the air you breath in your home during winter months. House plants are the perfect way to brighten up a room and your life.
There are many varieties of trees and shrubs that will grow nicely inside with minimal care. Just make sure to water them as needed. Putting them next to your freshly cleaned windows will make them look even more welcoming. You can also consider getting some “green house” growing lamps to keep in your house. This allows you extra light, the luxury of newly growing plants, and even fresh herbs! You don’t need to the limit the color in your house just to plants though. Repainting in vibrant colors also has a rejuvenating effect. Consider putting in some accents walls in warmer colors like reds and oranges.
3) Prepare Your Home’s Lighting for Winter Months – Now that you’ve added some color and are making sure you get sunlight, check all the lighting in your house. Light fixtures, especially ones that are higher up, can go without being dusted for long periods of time. This reduces the output given by the bulbs and doesn’t give your rooms a bright feeling. Dust gradually settles, so it is often easy to not notice the dimness. While dusting your fixtures, replace bulbs as well.
Fall is the perfect time to replace a burnt out bulb or upgrade to fluorescent bulbs. These help to give your house a brighter and more natural look, while also helping to cut down your home’s energy bills. The investment may be a little pricier in the beginning but will pay off in dollars and aura in the long run.
4) Prepare the Fireplaces in Your Home for Winter – If you aren’t interested in updating your fireplace, try adding glass doors with a heat-air exchange system, and make sure your fireplace is cleaned and your flue damper properly sealed. You should also try to keep the fireplace damper closed unless you have a fire burning. This may be the last thing you think of to cheer yourself up, but our favorite scents are tied very closely to emotions and the ability to snuggle in and enjoy your home! There are many smells that we exclusively identify with winter; pine, peppermint, cookies, apple cinnamon, and pumpkin. Add fragerant pinecones to your fireplace.
Change out your room fresheners or potpourri to take advantage of these smells while they’re around. Find scents that remind you of the holidays and your childhood to invoke happy feelings when you walk in your door. Crockpots are another way to fill your house with wonderful smells during the cold months. A warm meal at night and a house scented with delicious food is the perfect way to spend your evening at home.
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