Say Goodbye To Winter Chills With This Home Hack That's Practically Free

As John Steinbeck said, "What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness." But as winter advances and many of us find our heating bills at an all-time high, it makes sense that we start looking for a way to stay warmer for less. So, what if there was a way to do that in addition to layering on wool sweaters and long underwear? Perhaps your window shades can lend you a hand. Yep, your window shades, and it all comes down to when you open and close them. 

Windows are essential to our winter health, allowing light into our homes during a dark season. Even so, they are a major source of cold sneaking into your house. That's the bad news, but the good news is they also are a means of bringing solar energy (warmth) into your home. If you keep your curtains drawn during the sunniest, warmest part of the day, you allow natural heat to enter the home, and then by shutting them at dusk, you can seal in the heat for those cold nights. By following our winter window hack, you may be able to add a bit of warmth and then prevent a later loss of heat. This takes advantage of the natural cycle of the day, allowing you to easily save money on your electric bill. 

It must be said that this hack works best on sunny days. Start out in the morning by opening your window shades on the eastern side of your home to allow the sun into your house. Even in the winter, the sun packs a warming punch of solar energy. That warmth is absorbed by the components of your home that it shines on: the floor, furniture, window ledges, etc. It's why our cats and dogs find a sunny spot to lounge in. When the sun goes down or is blocked by clouds, the solar energy subsides; close your window shades to preserve the heat inside your house. Some shades have better insulating value than others, but lowering any shade will help. If you have drapes, pull them closed as well. These are simple steps, but they will help.

As mentioned, some window shades are better suited to keeping the cold out in the winter, such as honeycomb or cellular blinds (as pictured above), for example. Blinds will also keep the heat out in the summer. In fact, some shades are specially made to do just that. But nearly any shade will provide a small degree of insulation, and in the winter, every degree helps. To keep your home free from drafts, take care to learn how to insulate your windows this winter season.