Winter's chill can leave even the most well-insulated homes feeling a bit frosty. Keeping your house warm doesn’t have to mean cranking up the thermostat and watching your energy bills skyrocket. By taking a few simple steps, you can create a cosier, more energy-efficient home. Here are some top tips for beating the cold and keeping the heat where it belongs: inside your home.
Plug the Drafts
Drafts are one of the sneakiest ways heat escapes your home. Inspect doors, windows, and any other areas where cold air might be creeping in. Use Draught Shield Tape or sealant to fill in gaps around window frames.
Door sweeps or draft excluders are excellent solutions for blocking cold air from sneaking under doors. You can even make your own draft excluder using an old pair of tights and some rice or fabric scraps.
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Reflect the Heat Back
Radiators are the most common form of heating for your home, but a significant amount of their warmth can be lost to the walls they’re mounted on. Enter radiator reflector panels.
These clever rolls of foil-like material are placed behind your radiators to bounce heat back into the room rather than letting it escape through the wall. They’re affordable, easy to install, and can make a noticeable difference in your home’s warmth.
Curtain Call
Thick, thermal curtains are a game-changer when it comes to keeping your home warm. They help trap heat inside while blocking cold air from seeping in through the windows. For maximum effectiveness, close your curtains as soon as the sun sets and open them during the day to let in natural warmth from sunlight.
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Insulate Where It Counts
Insulation isn’t just for your walls and roof. Think about other ways to create added warmth. Adding rugs to bare floors is another simple way to insulate and make your home feel cosier.
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Mind the Chimney
If you have an unused fireplace, it could be acting as a giant funnel for warm air to escape. Consider using a chimney balloon or a flue blocker to seal the space and prevent heat loss. Just remember to remove it if you decide to light a fire!
Let Technology Lend a Hand
Smart thermostats can help you optimise your heating schedule, ensuring your home is warm when you need it to be without wasting energy. Some models also allow you to control the temperature remotely via an app, so you can make sure your house is toasty before you even step through the door.
Electric panel heaters or portable ceramic heaters are great for quickly warming specific areas of your home without relying solely on central heating. Advanced underfloor heating systems can also be a luxurious and energy-efficient option for keeping your living spaces warm and inviting.
Smart radiator valves are another fantastic innovation. They allow you to set different temperatures for individual radiators in your home, giving you greater control over your heating and reducing waste. For added convenience, many of these devices integrate with voice-controlled assistants, making temperature adjustments as simple as giving a command.
Draft-Proof Your Letterbox
It’s easy to overlook, but your letterbox can be a source of cold drafts. A letterbox brush or flap can block the chill while still allowing post to come through. Similarly, keyhole covers can keep out unwanted draughts in external doors.
Get cozy with a heated throws and blankets
Curl up and get cozy with a heated throw or blanket. Not only do these items keep you warm, but they are also cost effective. Heated throws and blankets provide an instant boost of warmth. Most come with adjustable heat settings allowing you to tailor the warmth to your liking.
- Material: Choose from soft and durable fabrics such as fleece, sherpa or microfibre.
- Size: Throws are good for personal use, while larger blankets work well for beds.
- Heat settings: Look for products with multiple heat levels and quick heat-up features.
- Safety features: Auto shut-off timers and overheat protection which is essential for peace of mind.
- Cleaning: If possible, choose a product that is machine washable and has detachable controls for hassle free cleaning.
Layering your clothing
Yes, we’ve discussed products and the house, but keeping warm is as much about the house as the clothing we wear. Layering your clothing isn’t just for outdoors. Each layer of clothing creates pockets of air, which will act as insulation and help to keep you warm. To keep warm a three-layer system works well.
- Base layer: This layer is closest to your skin and keeps you warm and to stop sweating. Choose materials like merino wool, silk, or synthetic fabrics like polyester. Choose clothing such as long-sleeved thermal top / undershirts, thermal legging or tights and lightweight wool / synthetic socks.
- Middle layer: This layer is about trapping the heat. Choose materials that are bulkier / insulating but not too heavy such as fleece, wool or thick knitwear. Choose clothing such as a fleece pullover, hoodie, wool sweater, jogging bottoms and wool socks.
- Optional outer layer: This layer is for extremely cold houses and is used to seal in the warmth. Choose materials such as down, quilted vests or insulated synthetic jackets. Choose clothing such as an insulated vest, shawl, poncho, lightweight down / insulated vest, an oversized cardigan or even a woolly hat.
For colder nights in bed wearing thermal pyjamas, and a cozy pair of socks, with a throw on top of the bedding goes further than most central heating systems to keeping you warm.
Final Thoughts
As you can see for this blog it doesn’t have to cost the earth to keep warm.
By addressing common culprits of heat loss and making small adjustments, you can create a warmer, more comfortable home without breaking the bank. From draft excluders to reflective radiator panels, these affordable and straightforward tips will help you fight the chill and enjoy a snug, cosy winter. So, grab a blanket, light a candle, and let these hacks keep your home toasty and warm all season long.