Winter is upon us. Temperatures drop, snow falls and the dark nights draw in. With freezing temperatures, the nation is warming up. For most people, cranking up the heat is one of the easiest ways to stay warm and comfortable despite the harsh weather. However, this can easily translate to a skyrocketing energy bill.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, winter heating cost is likely to increase this year. Because of this, a lot of people are looking for alternative ways to stay warm. It may surprise you to know that the solution comes in the form of rugs and carpets.

Beat the heating bill this winter by adding rugs and carpets into your home.

Stay warm and save

Some types of flooring such as concrete, tile, stone or wood will naturally feel cold on bare foot. Keep your floor as warm as possible without compromising your resale value by adding area rugs.

Carpets and area rugs will not only beautify your home, it can also take the chill out of winter. Put some area rugs in front of the sofa, chairs, walkways and even in your bedroom. They will insulate the cold floors and keep them warm. Plus, nothing beats that soft and snugly feeling when your feet hit a carpeted floor.

Choose the right carpet

A good carpet can help keep your home warm during the winter. But in order to get the greatest heating benefit, you need to choose the right type of carpet.

Carpet is a natural insulator, but wool is the best for this job. It is very soft and durable. Plus, it can keep your home warm in the winter and cool in summer.

Prevent heat loss

Floors without insulation and carpeting are major sources of heat loss. In fact, floorboards without carpeting can account to 15-20% of heat loss, and may even be as high as 30% if the floorboards don’t meet.

Fitting carpet can help reduce heat loss. Carpet fibers grip onto the air; hence, preventing warm air from escaping. The thicker the carpet, the better.

I’M INTERESTED IN