How to make your home warmer. How to make your home warmer without a heater

Cozy comfortable living in a private house requires a lot of worries from the owners. So the cold weather took us by surprise: it was blowing from the window frames, cold was blowing from the walls, the wind was blowing in the chimney, there were snowdrifts in the attic. How to keep the house warm in affordable ergonomic ways that will not hit the family budget hard? We offer you some simple solutions to this problem.

Prepare the sleigh in the summer, and the cart in the winter - a well-known wisdom. Therefore, with the onset of cold weather, global methods of insulation, for example, thermal insulation of walls, ceilings, roof repairs, should be forgotten, postponing these serious works for the summer. However, you should not despair, since you can significantly increase the air temperature in the house without resorting to expensive and long-term repairs. It is enough to determine the places of latent heat loss and eliminate the source... Take advantage of the advice of experienced professionals who are willing to share secrets on how to keep warm using the available tools.

Cover the glass with packaging film

Everyone knows that the main source of cold air penetration into the room is window frames... An excellent, inexpensive, reliable way to insulate old plastic or wooden windows is a stretched polyethylene film used for packaging (usually sold in rolls). It has a number of advantages:

practically does not affect the transparency of the glass, does not distort the image;
resistant to many cleaning agents;
does not attract dust;
slightly protects against the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation;
has a low bandwidth of infrared radiation.

It is quite easy to stretch the film over the window; it is better to do it together. You have to do the following:

be sure to wash the window, then degrease the glass surface, frames with an alcohol solution;
stick double-sided tape around the perimeter of the frame;
cut the film on a flat surface: measure the canvas of the required length / width, not forgetting about 2 cm allowances on each side;
take a sheet of film at the same time by the upper and lower edges (it is more convenient to do it in four hands) and glue it neatly onto the tape (you do not need to pull too much);
warm the film with a hairdryer until the wrinkles formed during gluing are completely straightened (the film sheet should become one with the window).

If a small section of the film breaks, you can seal the torn surface with clear tape.

A long-known grandfather's method that will help keep warm in the house is the installation of reflectors behind the heating radiator, so that warm air from them enters the room, and did not warm up the wall on which the heater is mounted.

By installing a heat-reflecting shield behind the batteries, you can raise the air temperature by at least 2 ° C. The following materials are suitable for the manufacture of a heat-reflecting structure:

foil;
foil-clad polyethylene (penofol);
porilex with foil.

An important condition is that the finished screen must have a low thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.05 W / m * ° С. It is better to give preference to penofol, porileks, since they already have a layer of insulation. For complete sealing, the seams must be connected with metallized tape.

When performing work on installing a heat reflector behind a radiator, you should follow some simple rules:

insulation thickness should not be less than 5 mm;
the area of the foil screen should be larger than the area of the heating devices;
place the structure behind the battery so that the foil layer is directed outward, the gap between it and the radiator is at least 4 cm;
glue the screen with glue / double-sided tape / furniture staples / self-tapping screws.

If you do not have the time to make your own heat-insulating screen, you can purchase a ready-made Izospan screen at a hardware store.

Open curtains and blinds

Everyone knows that glass is a good heat conductor. It is proved that as the air temperature rises, the thermal conductivity of the glass surface increases... So always open your curtains / blinds in the morning to let in the sunlight. Having penetrated the room, it will reflect off the walls (especially if they are light) and scatter. In this case, the glass, letting in the light, will not release it back. This method will help to increase the air temperature by 1-2 ° C. Additional degrees will be added by heating radiators, which are usually located under the window. When the curtains are closed, warm air will circulate between the window and the thick curtain; when open, it will spread throughout the entire area.

Curtain your windows tightly in the evening

It sounds corny, but at night, windows are the main source of heat consumption... The sun sets, the air temperature drops, so cold air begins to flow through the window. To prevent the cold from entering the room, close the windows with blackout curtains as soon as it gets dark. An additional way to make the house warmer is to insulate the window frames with a warm old blanket.

Close up the cracks

Cold air can enter through door / window openings, keyholes, and crevices in jambs or walls. An important and effective step towards keeping warm will be insulation of the front door, window frames, other cracks... To do this, it is enough to stick a sealing gasket (cotton wool, foam rubber, rubber / silicone tapes), larger holes can be sealed with foam, silicone, special glue.

Shut off the chimney

If your house has a stove (or other autonomous) heating or has a fireplace, then all the heat can escape from the house through the chimney hole / chimney. In this case, special dampers, inflatable balloons or balls will keep the heat in the house, blocking the heat transfer sources. As soon as all the logs are burned out and the ashes have cooled, it is necessary to close the damper (balls).

You should be extremely careful, as there is a high probability of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Local heating systems

The easiest way to preserve home heat, which does not require the independent design of any device, is to buy a heater. Before purchasing, clearly decide what area you need to warm up... The choice of the power of the electric heater depends on this (on average, not less than 1 kW for every 10 m2). It is not bad if the device is equipped with a temperature and power regulator. Heaters of various types are suitable for heating a house - oil radiators, convectors, quartz radiators and fan heaters. An electric fireplace, which acts in a similar way, can become an alternative heater.

Keeping warm and cozy in the house, do not forget to observe one more important condition - the ventilation mode. It is better to replace static ventilation with periodic ventilation: 2-3 minutes every 3-4 hours. This will retain a lot more heat.

Remember that the best heater is love and care for your loved ones. Love each other, create a family hearth, and then comfort and warmth in your home will always be, regardless of the season.

What to do if the central heating system of the apartment cannot cope with the winter cold? Save heat or buy extra heaters

Photo: Depositphotos / alexraths

In winter, apartment heating does not always cope with the cold, and the room thermometer drops to 14-15 ° C heat. This may be due to the remoteness of the house from the boiler room, weak heating of the coolant, improper wiring of heating pipes or large heat losses through walls, floors and windows. Letters to the authorities and administrative methods of settlement are unlikely to lead to a positive result in the same heating season. The most that they can offer you is to recalculate the amount of payments downward.

How to make an apartment warm, no one but ourselves cares. The editorial board of RBC-Real Estate studied the issue closely and found several solutions that could warm an apartment in winter.

Mobile heat

The easiest and fastest way is to buy a mobile heater: infrared, fan heater, oil cooler or convector. The first two types locally heat the air near the bed or near the balcony, but they do not help central heating very well. The latter evenly heat the room like conventional batteries. The convector makes it faster, and the oil cooler will take time to reach the set power. Obviously, none of these electrical appliances are economical. With a relatively low initial price of equipment (from 1000 rubles and above), 1-2 kW will flow away every hour. And the power of the intra-apartment electrical network for the simultaneous operation of an electric kettle, a heater and a washing machine may not be enough.

The most practical are fan heaters with ceramic heating elements and a low-noise tangential fan. Vertical floor models automatically rotate to circulate warm air throughout the room and are equipped with a control panel. Timberk TFH T20 FSN.PQ

The Noirot electric convector creates a powerful flow of warm air due to the height of the hollow body. It can be placed on the wall or on casters sold separately

Dyson, known for its innovative vacuum cleaners and fans, has released the AM05 with air heating. Its main advantage is the creation of a strong flow and the absence of open heaters, although, in our opinion, dust should still be drawn into the device case. The price exceeds traditional models by 4-5 times

The most beautiful heater from an interior point of view will be an electric fireplace. In addition to a pleasant glow, it emits 2-4 kW of heat

Small biofuel fireplaces generate a lot of heat and burn the air without emitting soot. Outlet only water vapor and C02

Heat from the air

Some split systems (air conditioners with indoor and outdoor units) are able to cool the air in summer and heat it in the off-season and winter due to the heat pump principle. In a hot season, excess heat is discharged into the street, in a cold season, any amount of heat is taken from the atmosphere, that is, the outdoor and indoor units change roles. Thus, reversible air conditioners can supply warm air even at subzero temperatures outside the window. Due to the fact that there are no heating elements in the device, it consumes three to four times less energy. For one consumed kilowatt of the split system, 3-4 kW of heat are emitted.

Passive heat

According to experts, 25% of the heat goes through the windows, so you should pay attention to their condition. Old wooden structures do little to retain heat, and the fittings of the plastic frames loosen over time, as a result of which the tightness is broken. In any case, it is worth installing modern heat-saving windows with increased heat transfer resistance, at least 0.55 1 sq. m * C / W.

Balcony glazing, even without insulation, will improve thermal insulation by 15-20%. It is especially worth paying attention to the finishing of the window slopes. Sometimes it is not enough just to align and paint them, but serious insulation with expanded polystyrene or mineral wool is required, followed by plastering or plasterboard finishing. There are also ready-made panels on sale.

Corner exterior walls on the north side of the house do not add warmth, especially in older panel houses. It is good if you plan to insulate all the walls from the outside, but not everywhere there will be major repairs. If you insulate the walls from the inside, the volume of the room will decrease, but it will become much warmer.

Warm floor

In the process of renovating an apartment, you should not neglect the installation of electric underfloor heating. As a reminder, it is prohibited to use water systems in apartments. A special heating cable is laid in the screed or directly in the adhesive when replacing the tiles. Film floors are generally mounted under parquet boards, laminate or linoleum using dry technology. Such additional heating is the most pleasant for a person. Heat rises gently from the floor across the entire surface. Due to the low temperature (24-25 ° C), there is no excessive overheating and drying out of the air.

Maintaining a comfortable +20 - +28 degrees in the house sometimes becomes a difficult task, despite the measures taken to increase fuel consumption and the power of heat generating equipment. In addition, individual rooms can be the coldest or separate zones in them. For example, the floors are often icy in houses, in any case, residents would prefer a warmer atmosphere.

But making a house warm can often be quick and inexpensive, since there are obvious and removable reasons for this state of affairs. Typical situations with cold houses and ways of solving the issue ...

Is it profitable to insulate in monetary terms

When building new houses, energy saving measures should pay off in several years or a maximum of 12 years, due to fuel savings, at current energy prices. Those. subject to the recommended standards of the thickness of the insulation (the resistance to heat transfer is normalized ...), and their types (inexpensive), the costs of creating heat-insulating shells pay off quite quickly.

In existing homes, remodeling can sometimes be too expensive or not feasible without a major overhaul. But these are still exceptions to the rule. And to eliminate the most significant heat leaks by insulation and other measures is often very inexpensive and it pays off already in 1 - 3 heating seasons.

The installation of new window systems is an expensive, but most effective measure to increase the comfort in the house ...

Dead end road - heating build-up

But when the house is cold, tenants usually think less about the economic benefits, and agree to expensive measures just to create an acceptable atmosphere. And they often try to solve the issue in the opposite direction - by installing additional heating, which does not give much effect, since with an increase in heat generation power and temperature inside the house, heat losses also increase, and at times. Therefore, before starting to turn the "boilers-batteries" or even worse - to install electric heaters with extremely expensive energy, you need to take care of heat saving. How to insulate a house cheaper and easier?

Common heat leaks in the house

Each house always has its own characteristic heat leaks in individual places, but all of them can be summarized and combined into large groups.

Drafts along the closing doors, through the seams around glass and frames, through the attic floor and roof, through the walls.

Small resistance to heat transfer of windows - old frames are installed, which, even without drafts, perfectly heat the air of the street with the owner's heat.
The same is with the rest of the enclosing structures. Most often, attic floors are cold, which predetermine the general cold in the house. Also, often in old houses, floors can bring a lot of cold, they come from a single board with a thickness of 30 - 40 mm ...
Insulation of the foundation and soil near the house has not been done, and this is not only part of the heat loss, but also, as a rule, an increased risk of frost movements of the base of the house.
Glasses without metallized spraying, as a result of which there is an increased energy loss by infrared radiation.

Priority actions to insulate an old house

The very first question is to eliminate cracks and prevent uncontrolled air movement. Heat leaks from air can be enormous. Typical actions are as follows.

Change the seals, create a tight closure of all doors, frames, doors.
Eliminate gaps near windows and doors along the contour, in the places of contact of glasses in old frames.
Install a continuous vapor barrier in the attic (the overlap is usually plank ...) - a polyethylene film glued with adhesive tape with an overlap.

The second question is to increase the resistance to heat transfer of those structures where it is most simple and cheap to do it. As a rule, it is easiest to insulate an attic floor, and this gives the greatest effect compared to other structures.

To lay a layer of heat insulator on the attic floor - to insulate the attic, if it was not there before or the roof was not insulated. You can also put a layer of straw-leaves-chips soaked in cement-lime mortar and cover it with paper on top - the most economical solution. But you can also put a layer of mineral wool from 15 cm thick ...

More additional measures for thermal insulation of the house

Provide adequate ventilation in every room. Make adjustable exhaust ventilation at home. Control the air humidity in winter, prevent it from decreasing ...
Install modern double-glazed windows with metal-sprayed glass instead of old frames, double entrance doors. This is the most costly part and does not fall under the "budget solution". But as a rule, new windows provide already half of the comfort ...
Insulate floors. It may be easier to tear off the wooden flooring and lay the insulation between the logs. If the height of the room allows and there is normal ventilation of the subfloor, put insulation on top of the existing coating ... Extruded polystyrene foam from 10 cm thick is placed under the screed on a solid base, ground ...

High ceilings. Houses with high ceilings are a significant problem, their heat loss is much higher, especially with non-insulated attic ceilings. Warm air from radiators is concentrated under the ceiling. One of the possible solutions is to make a lower insulated false ceiling with a height of no more than 2.4 meters from the floor. But it is better to make a warm floor system, which creates the most comfortable environment, and better distributes heat in the house, eliminates the problem of high ceilings. For example -

As soon as the phrase "the first frosts are expected in ..." begins to sound in the forecasts of weather forecasters, many are thinking about how to make their home warmer. And often there is simply no special funds for radical changes, but you want to get some insulation. On the eve of cold weather, here are some simple tips.

Of course, on how to make your private home as much as possible warm, you should think about it even at the construction stage, choosing materials and technologies. But, if you live in an old house or apartment, a lot of money is needed for global insulation. For example, even insulation of the facade with foam do it yourself, will require the cost of materials, will take a lot of time and effort.

If there is no money or time for global warming of a house or apartment, this does not mean at all that you need to put up with an uncomfortable temperature and do nothing. Here are some simple ways to make your home a little warmer and more comfortable with a minimum of cost:

Attention to the windows! They account for a solid part heat loss the whole house or apartment. Of course, the best option is to replace the windows with new, three-chamber energy-saving double-glazed windows. But you can work with old windows as well. Wooden frames, using a time-tested method, can be insulated using ordinary paper or textile tapes and paste. Better yet, use an inexpensive sealant to go through all the cracks. In PVC windows, check and, if necessary, replace seals... Use special thermal film on windows or stick the simplest packaging film on double-sided tape. In a private house, you can completely tighten the old windows outside with polyethylene, but then there will be a problem with ventilation and views of the surroundings;

To finish off the windows is the second tip. During the day, be sure to raise the blinds, roller shutters, open the curtains so that the room warms up naturally under the sun's rays. But at night, you should completely curtain, close the windows. Some even cover them with a rug or an old blanket to avoid heat loss. Ugly, yes, but pretty practical. If you are not ready to take such measures, just replace the light summer curtains with denser ones and pull them back at night;

It is certainly advisable to replace the radiators if they already did not work well in the last heating season. But you can simply remove and rinse them, as well as stick on reflectors, for example, aluminum foil... Better yet use on the wall behind radiators penofol or porilex with foil. This will reduce heat loss, which will be reflected from the outer wall and remain inside the house;

Many people are skeptical about carpets, calling them dust collectors and an outdated piece of interior decor. But if your house or apartment does not have a floor heating system, then carpet already in the first cool days it will come in handy more than ever. Agree, it will be much more pleasant to step with bare feet on a warm and fluffy rug, crawling out from under the blanket. And you will have to worry less about children playing on the floor;

Buy a heater. Let the simplest and most inexpensive, for example, small fan heater... There are also convectors, oil coolers, infrared heaters ... The choice is great. Even one such electric heating device will help you feel comfortable if, for example, until you turn on the central heating or there is a need to additionally heat a separate room;

You can additionally heat an apartment or house just in the course of your daily activities. For example, baking pies in the oven - don't close the kitchen door. The warmth and pleasant aroma of baked goods will spread throughout the rooms. Or while taking a bath, do not close the door either (if possible). And warm steam will heat up the corridor;

Nice, pleasant, warm little things. They help to create a cozy and comfortable atmosphere in the house. Slippers, candles, aroma lamps, a cozy soft blanket, a comfortable, squeezed-out armchair, a sofa with assorted pillows, a favorite book or movie, a cup of fragrant steaming tea and a purring cat ... It is these little things that can help us cope with the autumn blues and understand - cold is not so bad, winter has its charms, and only a little bit is left until summer! Remember about hygge, because it is not so difficult to create an interior with the philosophy of happiness.

Video on the topic: