Tips for Keeping Your Home Warm In Winter
In the colder months, it’s a good time to take stock of our homes and see what we can do to keep warm in winter.
Here are some cost-saving, winter warming tips:
1. Use an Electric Blanket Instead of a Heater
Use an electric blanket or a hot water bottle on your bed to keep warm.
Particularly for those who live in old houses, using a heater is very inefficient as you may be heating up a large room, or one with high ceilings.
Heat escapes easily through the doors, walls and windows and when you turn the heater off the room will cool fairly quickly
You can use the electric blanket before going to bed then turn it off, which will keep you warm and keep your electricity costs down.
Alternatively, a heated throw blanket can be taken from the couch to the bed, keeping you warm throughout the house.
2. Make the Most of Your Curtains and Blinds
Keep your curtains and blinds open during the day, particularly on warm sunny days.
Then shut them in the late afternoon to trap the warmth in your home.
Likewise, if you are airing your house, do this during the warmer hours in the middle of the day and shut the doors before the sun goes down.
The sun provides us with free warmth – so make the most of it!
3. Roll out a Rug
If you have exposed wooden floors, then one way to keep the warmth in is to roll out a rug. This can be stored away in the summer to keep the home cool.
If your floorboards have gaps, fill them in with a sealer to keep draughts out.
4. Make the Most of the Heat From Your Oven
When you use your oven to cook meals, open the oven door once you’re finished to allow the heat to move around your home.
5. Keep Yourself Warm
Keep yourself warm by wearing:
- Layers so you can easily add or remove layers as the temperature changes
- Socks and slippers to keep your feet warm
- A hat or hoodie to keep your head warm – we lose most of our heat through our heads
Make warm food and drinks, such as soup that you can sip when you are feeling cold.
Keep Active, whether it’s getting outside for a run, doing the gardening or housework, this will help to generate heat to keep you warm.
6. Opt for Warmer Bedding
Use flannel sheets and a heavier quilt to keep you snug in bed and use blankets for extra warmth if needed.
7. Block Door Draughts
“The most important thing you should do is to block any draughts which might steal the warm air from the house. These places are located usually around the doors and windows,” says Melanie Johnson, Marketing Manager for Fantastic Services Group.
“You can buy some isolation tape and apply it all around the windows and doors, especially in the bedroom” she goes on to say.
In addition, you could use a door snake or roll up towels and place them by the bottom of a door to prevent cold air coming into the room.
8. Insulating Your Home
If you own a house, particularly an older one, it may not be insulated.
Investing in insulation can make a big difference in keeping your home warm and keeping heating costs down.
9. Prevent Water Pipes From Bursting
“You should check for bursts and leaks in any pipes and water tanks you might have in your home. You’ll have to fix them before the winter comes because otherwise, they might cause big trouble.” Says Melanie.
“It’s also good to find where the tap that turns off the water is located. This way if there’s a flood from a burst pipe you’ll be able to turn off the water supply quickly and prevent most of the damage. If you want, you can protect your pipes from freezing by wrapping each pipe in a blanket of some foam insulation. This will keep them warm, which will prevent freezing and cracking afterwards.”
10. Invest in a Programmable Thermostat
“These great little devices don’t cost so much and the money you’ll give for them will pay out in a year or so because your heating bills will drop instantly, “ says Melanie.
“The programmable thermostat will allow you to adjust the temperature by a schedule, so it can lower the temperature when you’re sleeping or not in the house. “
11. Keep the Fireplace Damper Closed
Melanie suggests keeping fireplace dampers closed to avoid any draughts “If you have a fireplace and you don’t use it regularly, you should consider closing the damper because otherwise, it will be like if having an open hole in your roof.”
There are many different ways you can keep your home warm this winter and save on your energy bills! Do you have any other tips for keeping your home warm in winter?
