With winter in full swing in Coeur d'Alene and the surrounding area, it can be a challenge to keep your senior loved one's home warm. The cold weather brings challenges with icy sidewalks, closed roads, and frigid temperatures. Unfortunately, being uncomfortable inside your home due to cold drafts is also one of these winter challenges. You need some tips to help keep your senior loved one's home warm this winter.
Identifying Cold Spots in the Home
Identifying cold spots in your senior loved one's home can be the first step to keeping warm this season. The most common indicators of cold spots are drafty windows, poorly insulated walls, door frames, as well as radiators that are not working properly.
Window drafts are usually caused by poor insulation or air leakage around the window frame, which may require a replacement or repair with weather-stripping material. In addition to that, poorly sealed wall cavities and doors can let air into your senior loved one's home from outside. Having an energy audit done on your senior loved one's home is another great way for you to identify whether their house is losing heat through leaks or holes in areas like chimney flues, ceilings, and attics.
Short-Term Solutions for Keeping Warm
Although there are some long-term solutions for keeping your senior loved one's home warm during the winter, there are also a couple of short-term options that you can use to keep your senior parents comfortable in their own homes. Space heaters are great assets during cold weather and work best in smaller areas.
To complement this solution, dressing in layers is essential as temperatures continually drop and rise throughout the day or night. One extra layer of clothes can make a huge difference for your senior loved one. Applying insulation around doors, if available, is another useful method for sealing in warmth from inside and out.
Long-Term Solutions for Keeping Warm
If you're looking for a more permanent solution for your senior loved one to stay warm during this winter season, there are also long-term options available. Installing insulated windows can help drastically reduce the amount of heat lost through the glass. This will often be costlier than simply replacing weather stripping material around current frames but the increased insulation is worth the expense.
You might also have your senior loved one's walls or floors upgraded with additional insulation to minimize the potential for air leakage in those areas. Sealing cracks and crevices is another key factor when it comes to preventing cold drafts from entering the home. Lastly, your senior parent could benefit from installing a programmable thermostat which would allow them to set specific temperatures at different times throughout the day according to their comfort needs.
Senior Helpers North Idaho Wants to Help Keep Your Senior Loved One Comfortable Throughout the Year
Keeping your senior loved one's home warm during the winter can be a challenge. Luckily, there is a wide range of options available both short-term and long-term that will help keep your senior parents comfortable throughout the cold months in Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden Rathdrum, Dalton Gardens Twin Lakes Spirit Lake Athol, and Hauser. Senior Helpers North Idaho can ensure that your senior's thermostat is properly set throughout the winter months. Find out the ways we can assist now!