Living in New England, I find no shortage of moments where I’m grappling with my environment. One day it’s warm and fuzzy, the next it’s a bone-gnawing cold. I, like many people, then turn to my home to protect me from these temperature shifts, especially during the winter, however, our homes can be less than reliable on some of the worst days. Now, the easy solution is to turn up the heat, but a recent study has shown that many homeowners would rather change other parts of the home, instead of upping their heating bill.
Since the home has become the de facto office, gym, gathering space, meditation spot, you name it comfort has become paramount. In fact, it is so important that, according to a recent study done by Sealed, 96% of millennials rank comfort as being one of the most important qualities for their homes. That same study also outlines the lengths homeowners will go to increase thermal comfort without turning up the thermostat:
- 49% of respondents stated that they often turn to space heaters or even fans to help bump up air circulation.
- 32% stated that they choose to focus on the windows, adding weather stripping, weatherizing or even adding curtains to better control temperatures.
- 12% said they resorted to rearranging furniture to put them closer to heat sources while they’re at home.
- And 8% said they simply leave the house to work in coffee shops during the winter.
While this highlights the fact that fathers aren’t the only ones unwilling to touch the thermostat, it also highlights that when it comes to heating their homes, homeowners are more likely to turn to home improvements over spending extra on gas or electric, which gives home experts a myriad of opportunities add extra value to a space.
Take, for instance, the windows (or really glass surfaces in general). While also being able to provide an extra bit of flair and texture to a space, curtains used along large bay windows or sliding glass entryways can help eliminate major areas of heat loss during the winter. Contractors can also provide professional air sealing services or improve current insulation to create better thermal barriers. Outside of that, this also means homeowners are more likely to seek out upgrades to their heating systems rather than trundle on through the winter with a subpar one.
When something as simple as turning up the temperature is viewed as the absolute last resort, home professionals have more than an opportunity, they have an obligation to connect homeowners with alternative solutions that allow them to still feel comfortable in the home without increasing the heating bill, especially during a time where heating comes at a steep price.
