Top Tips for Effectively and Efficiently Heating Your Home This Winter

Bonfire Night is over for another year (hope you had a good one) and that means winter is just around the corner.

Regardless of whether you go by the meteorological or astrological calendar, winter begins in December and that inevitably means we’re going to be in for some much colder weather in the coming months.

Obviously, one of the biggest considerations during the winter is keeping your home warm and, importantly, doing so efficiently.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled this list of tips to help you ensure your property is kept warm, without breaking your budget:

Don’t heat empty rooms

Chances are you’ve got rooms in your house that don’t get much use over the winter. Whether it’s a spare bedroom, second bathroom or even just an empty space, don’t waste money heating it. Focus on keeping the areas you spend the majority of your time in warm and allow empty rooms to sit cold.

This simple step on its own could significantly reduce your energy costs. And don’t forget, you can always turn the radiators on in these other rooms if you know you’re going to be using them in the near future.

Make the most of your curtains

Curtains actually play at least two important roles when it comes to keeping your home effectively and efficiently heated when the weather’s colder.

During the day, leave your curtains open to allow sunlight to enter your home and give it a heating boost. In the evening, draw your curtains. They will provide another layer of insulation and reduce the chances of you feeling any cold draughts from your windows.

You could even swap out your existing curtains for some extra thick ones that will provide even better insulation. You can always swap them back once the sun’s out again.

Rearrange your furniture

This tip might sound simple, but it can be very effective when you’re trying to heat your home as efficiently as possible.

While a sofa placed in front of a radiator might feel nice when you’re sat on it, the bottom line is a lot of the heat being produced by the radiator is being absorbed by the sofa and not directly heating your home.

Likewise, while sitting in a chair by the window during the summer is something many people enjoy, doing so in the winter can leave you feeling draughty. Relocate your favourite chair so it’s in a more sheltered part of the room and nearer (not in front of) a radiator.

Wrap up warmer

If you really want to lower your energy costs this winter, consider putting on an extra layer of clothing before you move to turn up the thermostat on your boiler. You’ll be amazed what a difference a thick sweater or jumper makes when you’re feeling a little chilly at home and it may be just enough to stop you from adjusting that heating dial in the first instance.

Check your insulation

According to the National Energy Foundation, around one-third of a home’s heat is lost through the roof, ceiling and walls. That means you could be wasting up to a third of your heating efforts if your insulation leaves a lot to be desired.

At the very least, you should ensure your loft insulation is sufficient as this is where the majority of heat gets lost.