The evenings are getting darker and your coat has finally made its way out from under the bed. It's time to face the fact that winter is looming and the cold and wet mornings will be here to greet us when we wake up. Not only is winter an expensive month because of Christmas, but because of the weather. Heating costs can drain your bank before you know it, so here's some suggestions of ways to save energy and stay warm this winter.
Stick to the traditional method curtains
Make sure you have thick curtains and not just blinds or nets. The material will hold the warm in and keep the cold out especially at night, or when it’s cold and windy. If your curtains are too short, the air will just come in under the bottom, so make sure they’re long enough.
Let sunlight in during the day
If it’s sunny outside try not to shut the curtains on it. It will dry the air out from any damp or cold left in the room and will warm the house up. Keep the curtains open and don’t block the windows with furniture like wardrobes, cabinets or boards etc.
Invest in double glazed windows and good insulation
It’s one of those purchases that will definitely dent your bank balance once, but it’s worth it in the long run. Keeping your home efficient and warm in the winter will help towards your energy bills even if it’s only a gradual difference. If you can’t afford or don’t want to spend money on new windows, you could always try alternatives like a special plastic film that coats the glass or thermal blinds that capture the heat in between the glass and fabric. Make sure when you move into your home that it is properly insulated in the walls and there’s working heating.
Buy a draught excluder
Make sure there are no gaps under doors or down the sides of windows as the smallest of gaps can let out a massive amount of heat. Buy a draught excluder or you can simply squish a towel against the door. Some even come in fancy styles like a dog one, or you can get fixtures that are nailed into the door like a brush draught excluder.
Shut doors and windows
If you’re waving goodbye to a friend or chatting to the postman, shut the door behind you. Leaving the door open, especially when the heating is on can waste a lot of energy and you will lose heat in the process.If it’s too hot in your house with the heating on, don’t open windows, turn the heating down or to a comfortable temperature or turn it off.
Keep radiators clear
Keep clothing, sofas and any other bulky objects away from the radiators as it will stop the heating from warming the room up evenly. It's fine to put washing ‘near’ the radiator if you need it to dry it, but make sure there is ample ventilation so there is no moisture in the air to cause damp. If your heater is electric do not put anything on top, as it is a fire hazard.
Keep doors closed for unused rooms
Close the doors to rooms which are not being used. Heating up a room with nobody in will subsequently make the downstairs of the house colder as heat naturally rises. You can always open the doors later in the evening and they should heat up quickly from the existing warmth.
Cover bare floorboards with a rug or carpet
If you've got bare floorboards try to cover them up with a rug and if there are wear and tear holes in the floor then use special filler for the floor to close up the gaps. If you buy a rug it will keep your feet warm as well as being a block for any unwanted breezes.
Finally most obvious of them all, make sure to wear warm clothes and put on a wooly jumper and slippers, it is coming up to winter after all!
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