Winter is a magical and festive time, especially when it’s been snowing, but there’s no escaping the fact that it’s absolutely freezing. Most people turn their heating on at some point in September or October and then have it on all day every day until it starts to warm up again in about March or April. While this will keep you warm, it’s going to get very expensive, which you might not be able to afford with Christmas just around the corner. You don’t want to have to choose between keeping warm and Christmas presents, so follow these tips to keep warm for less.
Insulate, Insulate, Insulate
The last thing that you want is to waste energy keeping warm because your home isn’t properly insulated. Your roof is where most heat is lost, so be sure to have some insulation installed in your attic. Your windows are also a big culprit for heat loss; To minimise the amount of heat lost from your windows, make sure that your windows are double glazed, as they provide much more insulation. You might also want to get some thicker curtains or blinds, as they will act as another layer of insulation. Finally, be sure that there aren’t any cracks or leaks around your windows or external doors, and fill any ones that you find.
Think Smart
Most people leave their heating on when they leave their house during winter so that it’s warm when they return home. While this might seem like a good idea, it wastes a lot of energy, which is going to waste you a lot of money in the long run. Instead, it makes sense to have a smarthome design; With a smarthome, you can control your heating with your smartphone, so you can turn your heating on when you’re actually on your way home, so that you use less heat, but still return to a toasty warm house.
Get A New Boiler
If your boiler is a little worse for wear or is ten or more years old, then you may need to replace it with a newer model. This newer model is certain to be a lot more efficient, so will keep your home warm while using less energy, thus saving you money. Replacing your boiler also reduces the chances of anything going wrong with it during winter, so there’s little risk of you not being able to heat yourself at all during the festive period.
Move Your Furniture
Your coffee table might look great in front of the radiator normally, or it might be lovely having your sofa in front of the radiator during winter, but all this is doing is blocking the heat from getting to the rest of your home. If you have furniture in front of your radiator, this furniture will absorb all of the heat, making it harder for your room to warm up. The same goes for drying your clothes on your radiator. Make sure that nothing is blocking your radiator during winter months.
It can be hard to keep your home warm for less during winter, but I hope that these tips can help you out.
