The cold weather is here, and as magical as the frost looks through our windows, feeling chilly in our homes isn’t fun. Winter proofing your home is essential, not only for our own comfort and relaxation, but for several other important reasons as well. Not heating our homes properly can lead to damp and mould settling in through condensation, and it’s also a health hazard to live in a cold environment.
So you can avoid spoiling your home’s interior – and wake up shivering in the night – Purely Shutters have put together four of the best winter heating tips. The advice in this blog is sure to transform your homes from cold to cosy in no time.
1. Check your boiler
The first and probably the most important winter heating tip is to check your boiler is working properly. Your boiler is the crux of how you heat your home, so if it’s damaged or working inefficiently, heating your home during the winter is going to be a battle you can’t win.
If your boiler is old and you find that your house doesn’t seem to heat up properly, it’s probably worth getting your boiler serviced. Boiler replacement might seem like a big cost upfront, but you’ll definitely save money in the long run. Ensuring you have a boiler that’s in tip top shape will make your house more energy efficient. Check your radiators are all working properly too; you may need to bleed them if there are cold spots or they make a gurgling noise when they come on.
2. Draught-proof your home
Draught-proofing your home will both keep the heat in and the cold out. You’ve probably heard it before, but one of the best ways to draught-proof your home is with window shutters. Windows are frequently a source of draughts in the home, so having plantation shutters is a real game-changer during the winter. Made-to-measure shutters are fitted flush to the window, so they provide a layer of insulation and help to keep heat in the room.
Aside from window shutters, it’s also important to draught-proof doors and cracks in floorboards. Any gaps where heat might escape should be covered if possible. You can get a metal disc to cover the keyhole, a letterbox flap, and filler in any floorboard gaps.
3. Check your home’s insulation levels
Following on from the last two points, it’s important that you check how well insulated your home is generally. If you feel a draught coming through the window, it might be worth getting these checked to see if they can be refitted so they are more flush. This will also help stop condensation forming on windows too. Again, getting the windows refitted is expensive upfront, but you’ll save money on your energy bills in the long run, because you won’t be keeping the heating on for hours in a futile attempt to make the rooms warm.
Double glazing is always worth having, so if any of the windows in your home are currently only single glazed, consider upgrading and your home will be much more winter proof going forward. Adding shutters can help to trap the warm air in and potentially save costs on heating your home.
4. Consider getting a smart metre
If you’ve not yet switched to a smart metre, they can make a real difference when learning how to winter proof your home. They’re cost-effective, because they ensure you’re paying for the amount of energy you’re using, as opposed to traditional energy metres which charge you based on a calculated average.
Upgrading to a smart metre will help you track your energy usage, which in itself is a useful winter heating tip, because you can monitor how long it takes to heat your home without going overboard and spending too much.
Now you know all the best winter heating tips, you can put them into practice and start winter proofing your home. We’re confident that your house will feel nice and toasty during the colder months if you follow the advice in this blog. If you haven’t yet upgraded to window shutters, browse our range of shutter styles then book your free home survey with our local shutter specialists – your home will feel warmer than ever before!
