Winter is upon us, and as the temperatures drop, keep your home warm becomes a top priority. No one wants to shiver under layers of blankets or endure icy drafts creeping through the house. But fear not! With a few simple strategies, you can turn your home into a cosy haven even on the coldest of days.
In fact, many of the options on this list require a down payment that may seem counterintuitive. Rest assured that this upfront cost will definitely save you money in the long run and keep you toasty all winter long.
11 Useful Tips for Keep your Home Warm this Winter
Update your Thermostat
A thermostat controls the temperature of your home by connecting to your boiler. Thermostats can damage over time, especially in older homes with older heating systems. This type of damage can cause you to delay your boiler replacement, or heat your home much higher than needed.
Upgrading your thermostat can provide far greater thermostat accuracy to the boiler, prevent energy waste, and save you money.
Using a thermostat with a timer provides a simple and quick solution to better control your temperature. There is a smart home for modern thermostats that you can control from your mobile, ensuring your home is nice and warm when you come home. Some of them are designed to conserve energy, so they automatically decrease when you leave the house.
These app-controlled thermostats can be worth the investment, as you can easily monitor how much energy you are using and save your money in the long run.
Use Timers on your Central Heating
The Sustainable Energy Center advises planning for your boiler to turn on the heat a bit earlier – like 30 minutes before you get up in the morning – but at a lower temperature so the heat is cheaper than turning it on at a higher temperature than as you need it. This is because the boiler is always hot whether you set your thermostat to 20°C or 30°C. But don’t make the mistake of leaving your heating on all day – because then you’re only paying for heating when you don’t need it.
Wrap Up Warm
If you have a water tank, make sure it’s properly – or insulated – insulated. This will keep the water warm longer and reduce heating costs. The Energy Community that is insulating an uninsulated water tank could save up to hundreds of pounds a year – but even just upgrading your tank will help to save money.
Consider your Blinds
Installing the right blinds can help with keeping your home warm in the winter, thanks to the ability of window screens to prevent heat loss. Recent research data collected by Historic England shows that shutters and reflective roller blinds are the best way to reduce this heat loss.
However, the average reduction in heat loss across blind types is 49%, about half. This means that for the average British family, the savings from installing energy-efficient blinds could be quite significant. Merely upgrading plain roller blinds to reflective ones could save you a lot of extra pounds a month.
Use Heavyweight Curtains
Thermally lined curtains can help you keep the cold out better, especially if you have single-glassed windows. If the heat blanket is not in your budget, at least make sure you are equipped with the warm blanket. The thicker, the better, generally, and blackout fabrics always do a great job of hiding the heat.
This blanket idea is brilliant and should really make a difference on a cold morning when your heating has been out overnight.
Closing your curtains or investing in warm blankets can also help keep hot air out – the only trick that can reduce heat loss maximum percent.
Warm Up with a Rug
Did you know you can lose heat right under your feet? Floorboards are a nice feature, but they’re not the best at retaining heat, especially if they’re old or spaced. When winter hits, stone, vinyl, laminate or even flooring can get cold underfoot.
Take the edge off those cold toes with a new rug from our decor collection, not only will it dry and let in a cool breeze, but it will give your room a cosy feel.
Make Draughts Disappear
Heat escapes through cracks and gaps around your home. Add draft exclusion to your doors and mailboxes to keep the heat out, as well as cold air.
Brush-style draft excluders are generally good, but if you have wood or tile floors, an exclusion under the door may work better. These are usually made of soft rubber or foam and are attached to the bottom of the door and seal any gaps.
Check your Boiler Pressure
Monitoring your boiler pressure is key to ensuring your heating system is working properly. If the gauge reads in the red zone (meaning the pressure is too high or too low), it can cause steam loss and overheating.
However, do not worry, as this condition can happen from time to time, and the pressure is all that is needed. However, if this becomes a recurring issue, it could be a sign of a pipe or radiator leak, or in more severe cases, a sign that it is time to consider contacting a Gas Safe Registered Engineer, a suitable or even next to another boiler.
Get your Boiler Serviced
Make sure your boiler is ready for the demands of the cold winter with regular inspections. If your tubercle is getting older and has seen better days, there’s a strong possibility that it won’t work so well.
A faulty boiler can significantly increase your heating costs as it will require a lot more effort to keep your home warm at the optimum temperature we recommend running your boiler for months. 12 each (preferably before winter), to ensure your boiler is running smoothly and safely.
Upgrade your Boiler
If your boiler is installed before 2005, it may be time to replace it with a new, more efficient one. Depending on your old boiler type and house, you could save up to hundreds of pounds in a year with a new A-rated condensing boiler – which uses less energy to produce the same amount of heat.
A new boiler carries a high upfront cost, but it is probably the most important element needed how to keep your home warm in winter and will definitely help prevent your energy bills from rocketing during the colder months if you find that your boiler is installed before 2005 and you’re found yourself out of budget then you don’t need to worry about that, you can replace your boiler with A-rated energy efficient through ECO4 scheme; a scheme initiated by the UK government to support homeowner to cut down their energy bills and carbon footprints.
All in all, you first need to find a qualified installer; if you’re unable to find an installer, you can choose [Company name] for a smooth and friendly process. Moreover, if it’s new, you’re less likely to have any issues going into the winter season.
Need a New Boiler?
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Fill the Floorboards
Stripped floorboards look fantastic, but small gaps between the boards can actually let cold air in. Try to use filler to keep drafts out.
By the way you can use Draughtex Floorboard Gap Filler from Amazon. It is a rubber-like material that can be easily pushed between panels to seal gaps. It comes with a handy roller tool to make the job super easy, and comes in a wide variety of flooring types.
Summary
To keep your home warm are important during the winter months, it’s essential to take proactive measures. Start by properly insulating your home to prevent heat loss through windows and doors. Utilise thick curtains to trap heat inside and close them at night for added insulation. Additionally, laying down rugs or carpets on floors can help retain warmth and add a comfortable touch to your living space. By implementing these simple strategies, you can create a warm and inviting environment for you and your family throughout the chilly winter season.
Frequently Asked Questions
To save on energy costs, consider using programmable thermostats to regulate temperature, sealing any drafts around windows and doors, and utilising heavy curtains to retain heat.
Yes, you can use inexpensive materials like weather stripping, door sweeps, and window film to prevent heat loss and keep your home warm during winter.
Yes, you can use electric space heaters in individual rooms, such as bathrooms, to create localised warmth while saving energy in unused spaces.
Implementing simple measures like adding rugs or carpets to floors, using draft excluders, and wearing warm clothing indoors can help maintain a comfortable temperature without breaking the bank.
Get Your ECO4 Grant
Simply enter your postal code and answer a few questions, we’ll handle the rest!
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