Vacation houses are a unique form of property to possess and a terrific source of income. However, as with any company, there are other expenditures, like utilities and maintenance.
You must also suit your visitors’ demands, and keeping your home pleasant is crucial. A positive experience may lead to repeat customers, additional bookings, and recommendations, as well as a boost in your revenue in the long term.
It is critical to keep your vacation home comfortable throughout the year’s cooler months. It is, nevertheless, feasible to do so while saving money. So, how can you optimize both the comfort of the property and your profits?
The six suggestions below are intended to assist you in improving your home in ways that can help you save money on heating bills:
1. Purchase Thermal Curtains
Thermal curtains help keep draughts and cold air out of your windows. They are heavier than standard curtains and may be used with window coverings, such as blinds or shades, that you may already have in place.
Thermal curtains usually look better in darker hues. This is because the cloth used to construct them is thick and lined on the back with a rigid substance. Choose a hue that will complement or pick up on an accent color existing in the room, but avoid matching the main colors in the room, as this might make the area too gloomy.
Thermal curtains may also be light blocking, making them a fantastic addition to bedrooms; they’ll help keep the bedroom warm and toasty, enabling the heat to be turned down at night, and will also make the rooms darker.
- Consider Other Heat Sources
You most likely heat your holiday property with a traditional heating source like a furnace or baseboard heating. Alternative heat sources like pellet stoves may help you save money. Pellet burners are very efficient, with a complete pallet of pellets costing about $250, enough to heat most houses for the entire winter.
Pellet stoves also give atmosphere to your vacation rental, whether you own the place or you’re taking part in Airbnb rental arbitrage, doing this will make it more enticing to visitors, so your vacation home will not only be warmer but also more appealing for guests.
3. Include a Fire Pit
People are renting your house to relax and enjoy themselves; after all, it is a holiday rental. You can warm up your patio or outdoor living space by constructing a fire pit. This, in turn, provides the property with some outside amenities and assures that people may enjoy the outdoor areas even during the colder months.
Fire pits come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You may even make your own by forming a ring out of fire-resistant bricks or stones and covering the bottom with gravel or sand to create a one-of-a-kind camp-style pit. Pits are also available in a variety of forms, ranging from a basic metal ring to intricate bowls and supports. Consider the design of your home when making your selection; you want the fire pit to seem to be a part of the outdoor living space rather than an afterthought.
You may keep your visitors comfortable without spending additional money on heating by offering wood or other fuel sources to burn.
4. Construct a Gas Fireplace
Gas fireplaces are energy efficient and allow you to reduce the heat from the furnace or other conventional heat source in the room while they are in use. This may help you save money on heating expenditures each month while also advertising the addition and attracting new visitors with the extra attraction of a fireplace.
If you already have a fireplace, you may add a gas insert to make it more energy efficient. Otherwise, you may install ventless in-wall gas fireplaces that do not need a chimney.
5. Insulating
Insulation acts as a thermal barrier, filling gaps and voids in your walls and ceilings and preventing heat transmission. This saves energy and makes your house simpler to heat. While adding insulation to the new building is simpler, it is also feasible to add insulation to an existing space.
Because every property is unique, where and how much insulation you need depends on a variety of factors, including the climate, the age of your home, and the amount of insulation you currently have. Ideally, you should add insulation to the attic and crawl space sections and the walls if you live in a cold location. Fiberglass insulation is one of the most effective and healthy solutions, as well as one of the most affordable. Choose batts for the attic and blown-in insulation for the walls.
According to Energy.gov, most existing houses that increase insulation will realize temperature and monetary savings gains. Just insulating the attic may result in savings of up to 30%. The house will be significantly warmer, and you will save money on heating expenditures.
6. Put money into storms
Storm windows complement existing windows by closing air gaps and keeping the home warmer. Storm windows are installed over your existing windows, and, in many situations, you can’t know they’re there. This is also less expensive than buying and installing new windows.
If you’re unsure how many storm windows you need, do a short test to check how much air is seeping around your existing windows. On a windy day, light a stick of incense and set it near the windows. Storm windows are an excellent alternative if the smoke blows in the wind.
As storms keep any chilly breezes out, your visitors will be more comfortable, and you won’t need to turn up the heat as much.
Warm Up Your Vacation Residence
As a vacation homeowner, there are several methods to save money. Making the property more inviting to visitors will encourage them to stay longer. You will have more money accessible if you save money on heating expenditures, regardless if you’re the owner or if you’re doing rental arbitrage.
These improvements are intended to increase your profitability and the value of your house. Invest in a warmer, more pleasant vacation house in winter to optimize your profits.
