How to Stay Warm at Home Without Cranking the Heat
Heating bills climb fast in winter. The good news: a lot of the cold you feel is drafts and cold floors, not the air temperature. Fix those, keep yourself warm instead of the whole house, and you can set the thermostat a little lower.
Here's the plan in two parts: stop the cold getting in, then keep yourself cozy.
- Top pick
Duck Window Insulation Kit (10 Windows)
Clear shrink film that seals drafty windows. You tape it around the frame, then use a hair dryer to shrink it tight. Once it's on, you can barely see it. It peels off in spring. Older windows lose a lot of heat, and this is the cheapest fix.
Best for: older homes and drafty apartments.
Check price on Amazon Grotheory Door Draft Stopper (2-Pack)
A stick-on silicone seal for the gap under your door. Hold your hand near the bottom of an outside door on a windy day. If you feel cold air, this fixes it.
Best for: front doors, back doors and patio doors.
Check price on AmazonBedsure Heated Throw Blanket
Heat yourself, not the whole room. A heated throw on the couch keeps you warm with a lot less energy than turning up the furnace. It has a timer, so it shuts off on its own.
Best for: evenings on the couch.
Check price on AmazonTouchat Wearable Blanket Hoodie
A huge blanket hoodie you can walk around in. It's the cheapest heater there is.
Best for: working from home in a cold house.
Check price on AmazonEverFoams Fuzzy Memory Foam Slippers
Cold floors pull heat out through your feet. Fuzzy memory foam slippers with a closed back fix that fast.
Best for: tile and wood floors.
Check price on AmazonFuzzy Slipper Socks
Thick fuzzy socks with grips. Cheap, and wearing them to bed makes a bigger difference than you'd think.
Best for: cold nights.
Check price on AmazonRechargeable Magnetic Hand Warmers (2)
Two rechargeable hand warmers for cold fingers at the desk or on the couch. Charge by USB, no throwaway packets.
Best for: typing in a cold office.
Check price on AmazonWood Mug Warmer with Timer
Hot drinks help, and a mug warmer keeps them hot. It shuts off by itself after a few hours.
Best for: coffee and tea drinkers who sip slowly.
Check price on Amazon
Before you buy
Start with the drafts. Sealing windows and doors is cheap and works every hour of every day, even when you're not home.
Never use outdoor heaters, stoves or ovens to heat your home, and keep space heaters away from blankets and curtains. Close curtains at night to hold heat in, and open them on sunny days to let free heat in.