Cheap & Easy Tricks For Warming Your Ditmas Park Home This Winter

Up until the past couple of days, it seemed like we’d had a pretty mild winter–in fact, this polar vortex is being bookended by two days in the high 40s-50s. However since it’s today, tomorrow is set to be juuust above freezing, and we’ve still got more than two months to go until the official first day of Spring, we figured some stay-warm tips might be in order.

A word of warning: we didn’t include heated blankets or space heaters primarily because they can be incredibly dangerous (that goes for running your oven for heat, too), and in smaller part because they’re expensive and wasteful to use (a roommate who, unbeknownst to me, was using a space heater last winter cost us nearly $300 in one month).

In addition, if you’re a renter, you should know your rights and your landlord’s responsibilities regarding winter heating. Now without further ado, here are “house warming” tricks that can be bought inexpensively,  save you lots in the long run–and, in certain cases, be achieved without even leaving the house.

Halt drafts in their tracks.

Even if there’s a decent amount of heat being regularly pumped into your home, cold air coming in from outside has the potential to ruin your cozy feeling.

You can keep the chills out with a draft stopper (professionally made or DIY) or even rolled up towel under the door, and/or by properly caulking your windows (check Almac and Cortelyou Hardware for caulk and guns). And yes, they do make draft stoppers that aren’t shaped like dogs–though we’re not 100% sure why you’d want them. If you’re fortunate enough to have a working fireplace, keep the damper shut when you’re not using it, too.

Now that your windows are caulked, cover them.

Ugly window treatments are a drag, but not nearly as much of a drag as not being able to shower in your freezing apartment. Start by covering glass with film designed specifically for winterizing your home (also available at hardware stores), then add insulating curtains and/or honeycomb blinds.

If you really can’t stand the look of the drapes or shades, there’s always the option of keeping your preferred window textile drawn over them with a double rod.

… but don’t forget to take advantage of what the sun has to offer.

We sometimes forget about the most generous and reliable utility provider of them all–the sun. Keeping your shades and curtains open during the day is a free, easy way to let in some warmth–just make sure to trap it by drawing said window treatments once the sun begins to set.

Force hot air towards you by running your fan in reverse.

Thought your ceiling fan was only good for cooling you down? You thought wrong. If your fan has the option, running it slowly clockwise actually moves all that heat you just harvested from the sun (and, you know, which rises) down to your level.

Invest in a hot water bottle.

Call me crazy, but this was really something I’d never considered in doing the US until I went to visit my family in Ireland last winter. A few of my relatives use them regularly, and man, are they way better than I expected (the bottles, that is–I already knew my relatives were great). Pick one up at one of our local 99 cents stores or pharmacies, put it under your blanket before you go to sleep at night (on while you’re on the couch watching TV, or whatever) and marvel at how obvious that should have been all along.

If you have any simple, inexpensive stay-warm tips to share with neighbors, please do so in the comments–and stay toasty, Ditmas Park!