How to Keep a Room Warm if It Doesn't Have a Vent

Space Heaters

• Plug in a portable heater in a small cold space. Some space heaters have fans and oscillate to move the heat flow around the room and thermostats for setting a comfortable temperature. If you have small children or pets, choose a heater that automatically shuts off if it overheats or tips over. Close the door to hold in the heat when you're awake and occupying the space, but because of safety issues and the higher cost, only use a portable space heater as a temporary fix.

Open the Door

• Unless you need a few minutes of privacy, keep the door of a room without a vent open. Some of the warm air from the rest of the home will seep inside and help to heat the space. If the room has plumbing, keep the cupboard doors, such as those below a sink, open to help keep the water pipes from freezing and bursting.

Windows

• Heat can escape from around drafty windows. Use a plastic coating over the entire window, including the frame, held in place by double-sided tape, to retain the room’s warmth.

Close Other Doors

• Save the heat for the rooms that need it most. By closing the doors and vents of seldom-used rooms, there will be more warmth for the rest of the home. The only rooms that you should not keep purposely cold are those with plumbing so you'll avoid frozen pipes.

Rugs

• Ground and basement floors of older homes or poorly insulated spaces are notorious for being cold. The added insulating layer of a throw rug on the floor will aid in blocking the chill. Even a carpeted room could benefit from an extra rug.

Fans

• Limit the amount of time kitchen and bathroom fans run. An operating fan’s duty is to remove moisture from the home, but along with the dampness, it also sucks out rising warm air. Shut off fans as soon as they have done their job to preserve heat.

Curtains

• Heavy window treatments, such as lined drapes, act as insulation. Keep them pulled closed at night or throughout a cloudy day. On the other hand, the solar heat produced by the sun flowing through windows will warm the cool space, so let the sun shine in on a bright day.