So it's not only comfortable to sit on your couch or your dining room chairs–these furniture pieces are also sending heat back into the airspace of your room. That means that furniture like a chest of drawers or a table (that you will obviously not be sitting on) will also help your space feel warmer.
Additionally, placing bookcases or other tall pieces of furniture against exterior walls can help insulate your home and reduce heat loss. If you have alcoves on either side of your chimney breast, this is the perfect opportunity to install shelves.
The materials your furniture and other home contents are made from affect how hard the HVAC has to work to meet your comfort settings. A material that absorbs the sun's heat coming in through the windows, for instance, can increase your HVAC's workload, so it takes longer to cool the space and uses more energy.
Bring in the large-scale textiles. Adding large rugs will simply add an extra layer between your floor and your feet, making your home feel warmer and cozier. Similarly, hanging tapestries or large-scale art can provide an extra layer which helps to block airflow through the walls.
Use warm-hued furniture in a cool room
Sometimes, nothing makes a room look more inviting than adding contrasting pieces – think vibrant yellows, muted reds, and rich browns. Tip: For a more convenient no-reno option, select accent pieces in warm hues to offset the cool colours in a room.
Natural wood is a noble material, with a great insulation capacity, both thermal and acoustic, and pleasant to look at and touch: its texture is usually very soft due to its low thermal conductivity, a physical quality that makes it easier to make rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
If your furnace is blowing hot but your home is still cold, it may be a problem with your ductwork. You may have leaky or damaged ducts that are letting hot air escape and cold air in. Sometimes a damper in the system can get miss-adjusted or come loose, thereby inadvertently blocking or reducing airflow.
Furnaces. The majority of North American households depend on a central furnace to provide heat. A furnace works by blowing heated air through ducts that deliver the warm air to rooms throughout the house via air registers or grills.
Old or inefficient windows can allow heat to enter your home during hot weather and escape during colder months. Poorly insulated windows fail to keep out the heat, contributing to a warmer indoor environment.
Clutter can significantly affect the airflow in your home, making it feel stuffy and warm. Start by removing unnecessary items from each room.
Heating and Cooling Loads
The amount of furniture in your home can influence your peak heating or cooling load and when it occurs. In general, having more furniture (and larger individual pieces) decreases the load, making your home easier to heat and cool.
Avoid Insulating Furniture: Heavy furniture with solid bases can block radiant heat, so opt for pieces with legs that allow air to circulate.
How Hot Is Too Hot? Different sources disagree on a maximum indoor temperature setting in winter. However, 72 degrees is the average recommendation. Setting the thermostat higher than the low 70s inevitably increases heat loss to the outdoors, raising heating bills substantially.
Materials such as concrete, bricks and tiles absorb and store heat. They are therefore said to have high thermal mass. Materials such as timber and cloth do not absorb and store heat and are said to have low thermal mass.
If you're cold even though your thermostat indicates you shouldn't be, your furnace likely isn't the problem. In most cases, it's working just fine. It's your home that needs attention. Lack of insulation, severe air leakage, and/or unbalanced ductwork are frequently to blame.
One of the most common culprits when a heater isn't working efficiently is dirty air filters. These can restrict the flow of heated air into your home. Remember, regular checks and replacements are essential for smooth HVAC system operation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends setting your thermostat no lower than 64 degrees (F) in the Winter months while people are in the home. If there are infants or elderly individuals, they recommend keeping the temperature at 70 degrees at a minimum.
The foam or polyurethane filling used in many upholstered pieces of furniture actually creates pockets of air that retains the regulated temperature from inside your home and subtly contributes to keeping you warmer during the cold months, and cooler during the warm months.
The answer is yes, and it comes down to insulation. Carpeting is beautiful, but it can help with overall energy efficiency. Installing carpeting in a warm climate can help you maintain warmer temperatures in winter AND cooler temperatures in the summer. The idea that carpeting will only make a home warmer is a myth.
Empty rooms are always colder
It may seem a bit odd, but it's a simple climatic principle. Air heats and cools faster than objects, but it doesn't retain the temperature. Furniture, curtains, clothes, and decorations absorb heat and then re-radiate it into the air, making it warmer.