With another cold snap upon us, chances are that most of the country has turned their thermostat up a few degrees. The heating is normally the first thing we turn to when it’s cold outside so it’s no surprise that over 70% of our household energy consumption is spent on keeping our homes warm.
If you want to try and reduce your bills or find that despite constantly having the heating on your house is still chilly, below are six great ways to make your home warmer during the winter months.
Make the most of natural sunlight
Make the most of sunny winter days by allowing as much natural sunlight into your home as possible. Ensure that the curtains are drawn, shutters are open and blinds are up because even though it may still be freezing cold outside, the sun can make your house a few degrees warmer. The best part is that it won’t cost you anything either.
Use window dressings
Once the sun has gone down, make the most of your window dressings. They will help to keep out any breezes as well as offer an extra layer of protection from freezing cold windows.
Solid Shutters For the Winter
Solid shutters are particularly great at keeping your home warm during winter because with RV values similar to interior wooden doors, they’re fantastic for heat insulation. What’s more, they can also minimise outdoor noise and provide increased security.
Re-arrange your furniture
If you find that some rooms are colder than others and you can’t find an obvious insulation problem, have a look at how your furniture is arranged. If you have a big sofa positioned right in front of the radiator for example, it’s absorbing the heat that could be warming your home.
Insulate your roof
When it comes to insulating our homes, we often forget about the roof. Did you know however that 25% of the heat from our homes is lost through the roof alone? While you may worry about the initial cost, loft insulation will last for at least 40 years and will pay for itself many times over in what you will save on your energy bills.
It’s also worth checking with your energy supplier to see if they have any insulation schemes running. This could result in cheaper or even free installation. You can find out more by visiting USwitch.
Insulate your water tank
Another part of the home we don’t think to insulate is our water tank, but the Energy Community estimates that doing so can save you up to £150 a year. By properly lagging or insulating your tank, water is kept warmer for longer which therefore reduces heating costs.
Draught-proof your home
One of the most obvious ways of keeping your home warm is to draught-proof your property. Cold air coming in through windows, doors and cracks in the floor can be costing you an additional £35 a year according to The Energy Saving Trust.
The good news is that it’s very easy to draught-proof your house with draught excluders, rubber seals, foam strips and fillers. As well as helping to keep your home warmer, draught-proofing can also help to reduce condensation and damp.
