• By Vividways
• In Blog, Tips

8 Ways to Warm Up Your Home This Winter

It’s getting to that time of year again where the nights are drawing in and rapidly getting darker and colder. The next thing you should be thinking about is how to keep your home warm – without putting a huge dent in your pocket!

We could give you a list of a hundred things you COULD do to cut down on those energy bills (one of them being to pop round to your nans for a frequent cuppa!) but here we will just focus on a few of the most effective ways.

First things first – do you even know where you lose most of the heat in your home? According to recent studies, on average:

• 25% of heat produced escapes through the roof
• 35% of heat is lost through walls and gaps in and around windows and doors
• 10% of heat is lost through the floors

Here are some ways to effectively keep that heat where it belongs:

1. Cover open holes:
   1. Seal gaps and cracks, cat flaps, letterboxes, keyholes, chimneys, and anywhere else you see precious warmth escaping
2. Invest in things to trap the heat:
   1. Heavy curtains, rugs & blankets, pelmets and draft excluders
3. Things to keep open:
   1. Curtains during the day when the sun shines, the oven door after cooking, the bathroom door when showering
4. Things to keep closed:
   1. Doors, windows, curtains during the night
5. Radiators and heaters:
   1. Utilise your timer for central heating, maintain heaters every 2 years and keep them dust free, place tinfoil behind radiators, keep your sofa away from the radiator, keep your thermostat no higher than 20°C and insulate your water pipes
6. Other things to consider:
   1. Wrap up warm instead of just focusing on the house. If your fan has both clockwise and anti-clockwise settings try turning it round to push the heat back down into the room, close off rooms that aren’t in use and turn off those radiators
7. Check out your roof:
   1. Make sure you don’t have any loose tiles! If you would like someone to check for you, our sister company Edge Roofing can! Get in touch for a free no-obligation survey now!
8. Windows & Doors:
   1. Upgrade to A+ rated windows and install UPVC doors. Apart from saving money, this will help the environment by reducing your carbon foot print, reduce noise pollution, increase your security, and save you time with less maintenance required. Contact us for a free no-obligation survey today!

By upgrading to double glazing in a typical gas-heated single glazed house in England, Scotland or Wales you could save £160 a year! Here is the full breakdown from the Energy Saving Trust:

So let’s start looking forward to a toasty warm winter!

Related links: Double Glazing Northamptonshire