How to Keep Your Home Warmer During Mississauga’s Brutal Winters

We are now well into the dreaded part of the year where the wind hurts your face and the night kills your car battery.

Mississauga’s winters are brutal. Last year was bad and experts have predicted a long and cold winter for 2020. Sigh.

It’s OK, you can get through this. The first thing we’re going to do is make your house as warm as humanly possible. And we’re going to help you do it without sending your utility bills through the roof.

Here are 6 ways to keep your home warmer this winter. The more cold and brutal this winter gets, the bigger the difference these hacks can make.

1. An Insulated Garage Door

Your garage door takes up about a third of your home’s exterior façade, which means it is a huge part of how well your home keeps the outside air out where it belongs.

You probably already knew that custom garage doors in Mississauga can go a long way in boosting your curb appeal. But, you may not have been aware of what they can do for your energy-efficiency.

With an old or non-insulated door, your garage is pretty much the same temperature as the outside during the winter. However, simply adding a new insulated garage door can help you keep the garage 10-20 degrees warmer.

This makes a huge difference if your home has any bedrooms that share a wall with the garage. Without an insulated garage door, you might struggle to heat those rooms over the winter. You may need to bring in thicker blankets for the bed or even a space heater.

Keep in mind that summers in Mississauga also punish garage doors as the heat gets trapped inside the garage, making it even hotter than the outside. This can also be an expensive energy-drain, as you struggle to cool any rooms sharing that wall with the garage.

2. Insulate Your Hot Water Tank

Your hot water tank works just as hard as your HVAC system over the winter months, which makes it another massive energy user.

Ensure it doesn’t have to work too hard (or use too much energy) to heat your home’s water. Insulating your hot water tank and adding a protective blanket can save you 7% – 16% in water heating costs and might actually pay for itself in the first year you own it.

These blankets are only about $20.00 from any hardware or home improvement store, and can be easily installed.

3. Seal Your Doors and Windows

You would be amazed how much money 3 dollars worth of caulk or sealant can save you in energy spending over the winter. Did you know that if you added up the size of all of the tiny little holes and cracks around your windows and doors, they would likely add up to the size of a basketball?

Now, imagine all of your warm air (and money) leaking out that hole all winter long.

Your windows could easily be the biggest energy-wasters in your home. So, take the time to seal them properly.

4. Open the Drapes

Once all of the nooks and crannies around your windows are sealed, make sure you’re getting the full benefit of the sun.

Open the drapes and let the sun in. It can do a remarkably good job of heating your home all by itself. Depending on which direction your home is facing, this could almost heat the house for most of the daylight hours, taking a lot of pressure off of your home’s HVAC system during the day.

Of course, the opposite is true over the summer. You will want to close those drapes while you’re gone to keep that hot sun out.

5. Install a Smart Thermostat

Nobody likes coming home to a cold house. It often feels like you’re trying to warm up for the rest of the night. It makes sense to drop the temperature a bit while you’re at work to save some money. But, that sure doesn’t make for much of a warm hug when you get home.

You could consider installing a smart thermostat and putting your heat on a timer while you’re gone at work, or asleep. You could also control your settings remotely from your smartphone.

These can actually save you about $180.00 on your energy bills every single year. However, the bigger your home, the bigger the savings potential. You will most likely see an immediate drop in your utility bills and keep enjoying those savings all year-round.

6. Move Your Couch

No, seriously.

You may have strategically positioned your couch close to the vent so you can soak up all that wonderful heat while you relax. However, that’s exactly what the couch is doing: soaking up all of the heat and not sharing it with the rest of the room.

That also goes for any hanging laundry, or drapes, that stand between you and your vent/radiator. Keep the paths clear and it will warm the entire room more efficiently.

We Help Create Warmer Homes

If your temperatures are falling while your utility bills are climbing, it could be time to call the experts at Dodds Doors to help keep winter out of your home. Let us show you what a difference an insulated garage door can make!

For the last 60 years, we have built our reputation based on trust and providing exceptional customer service. We’re proud that the Dodds name is synonymous with selling the highest quality of garage doors and modern garage door openers in the area.

You can get started right now by calling 1-877-503-6337, or come check out Dodds Mississauga facility to see it for yourself. You can click the ‘Get in Touch’ link at the top of the page.