Storm Emma and the Beast from the East battered properties and caused chaos in the UK last winter. There were intense snow showers followed by treacherous icy stretches, and the Met Office issued red alert after red alert.
While we may not experience the severe wintry weather of last year, it’s worth making sure your home is warm enough to withstand the freezing temperatures of the coming months. If you’re looking for ways to heat up your home, here are some ideas to conserve energy and keep you toasty during the next big chill.
Close Every Door
It can be so easy to forget to close the living room door, especially of an evening when you need to pop in and out while you’re cooking, however heat escapes quickly through doors and windows. By making sure everything is closed before the temperature drops and the radiators warm up, you can easily keep the heat in.
Shut the Curtains
As Christmas approaches, a lot of us like to keep curtains open so we can show off our trees. However, closing them as soon as the sun goes down means that you are keeping in the heat generated from the sunlight during the day and adding more insulation around windows.
Check Your Radiators
Check your radiators are working to their full potential. If there is any furniture blocking them, move things around so that the heat is being released into the room, rather than behind the sofa.
Also, use tin foil to divert the heat from radiators so that it flows into the space. You can buy specially-designed heat reflective foil or attach some regular foil to a piece of card and place it behind the radiator. This reflects the heat back into the room.
If they’re colder at the top than at the bottom, they’ll probably need bleeding. Turn your boiler off and use a bleed key to help the air circulate. Turn the key slowly, wait to hear the hiss and once you see a drop of water, quickly turn the key back.
Seal Things Up
Remove draughts easily and cheaply with draught excluders and insulating tape. If you need to make some major changes to your windows and glass panels on your external doors, double glazing is a worthwhile investment. Thicker glass adds an extra protective layer against the cold weather and can increase warmth within the home.
What top tips do you have for heating the home? Do you have any inspired money saving ideas that can make things cosy this winter?
