Baby, it’s getting cold outside! Fall is settling in, and winter is on the way. Make sure you stay warm and toasty inside your home by focusing on three key elements: flooring, drafts, and thermostats.
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Flooring

Carpet is an obvious choice for warmer, insulated flooring, with hardwood, laminate, and vinyl all beating out tile in the warmth category. If carpet’s not your thing, here are a couple things you can do to warm up whatever you have underfoot.

1. Get a good rug. Never underestimate the power of a good rug to add not only warmth and softness to a room, but also texture and style. It’s also a good idea to invest in an anti-slip pad to go under your rug to provide extra stability on slick floors. 
2. Invest in heated floors. If you have tile, you already know that it can be considerably colder than other hard surfaces like wood, laminate, and vinyl. If your rugs just aren’t cutting it, and you find your feet are freezing, consider something like the Schluter Floor Warming System. This unique system of heating coils is installed under your tile with an “uncoupling membrane” that means no cracked tile or grout! It also features an optional programmable, touch screen thermostat and power module. 

​Drafts

Do you find yourself asking, “Where’s that breeze coming from?” Then, you probably need to check doors and windows for drafts. Make sure your insulation and weather stripping are intact. About a quarter of your home’s heat can be lost through the roof if not properly insulated. For drafty doors, look for something like this fleece draft guard to block the air flow. Curtains or window coverings are also good for keeping drafts out, but when open, they can let in sunlight which instantly warms up any room. Also make sure to reverse your ceiling fan direction to clockwise so that it pushes cold air up and warm air down.

Thermostats

Speaking of warming up, investing in a programmable thermostat allows you to be comfortable in your home and also save on your energy bill! Once you get that heat blowing, make sure vents and radiators are open and not obstructed by furniture or objects. Always make sure to change your furnace filters to keep your system running an optimum performance.
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Check out this article for a suggested programmable thermostat schedule as well as other tips on keeping your home warm during the colder months.

The popularity of wood-look tile has sky rocketed over the last couple of years, and rightly so. Advances in technology have led to unparalleled realistic wood looks in both porcelain and ceramic tile. Add to that an expanding line of varying plank lengths and widths, and you would be hard-pressed to tell which is tile and which is wood. What is perhaps most important, though, is that wood-look tile gives you that wood look without the worry. Tile is highly durable, standing up to scratches, dings, dents, and moisture far better than wood products. It’s both pet and allergy friendly and can easily be cleaned with regular sweeping and mopping.

But, don’t be limited by traditional thinking. Just because wood usually goes on the floor, wood-look tile can go places wood can’t (think bathrooms, showers, and even outdoors!). Browse through the gallery below, find your inspiration, and give us a call when you’re ready to get started!