Energy expert shares 8 ways to keep your home warm this winter – including free & easy radiator trick
WITH the weather turning chillier, if you are looking for ways to keep your home warm this winter, we’ve got just what you need.
As the sun disappears and the wind picks up, there’s no surprise that many Brits up and down the country have resorted to wearing multiple jumpers and plugging in their heated blankets in a battle against the cold weather.
But with energy costs still high, it’s highly likely that the thought of winter will send shivers down the spines of many (and not just because of the dip in temperature).
For those concerned about rising costs this year, fear not, you’ve come to the right place.
Thanks to energy-saving pros from Energy Saving Trust, there are eight simple ways to keep your home warm this winter, including a free radiator trick you must try.
Not only is draught-proofing your pad highly important, but you’ll need to take action in your loft and give your boiler a close-up look too.
So for those looking to stay warm without having to break the bank on sky-high energy bills, you’ll need to take notes.
Draught-proof your pad
If you want your home to stay warm, it’s important that you take the necessary precautions to draught-proof your space.
According to the pros at Energy Saving Trust, you must make sure that your home isn’t letting heat escape, as around 18% of a home’s heat loss escapes through windows, and 3% through doors.
As a result, the experts advised people to nab professional draught-proofing to maximise your home’s energy efficiency and for those looking for a DIY option, you can buy draught-proofing strips for your windows and doors too.
Insulate your pipes
Not only do you need to ensure your windows and doors are draught-proofed, but you also need to insulate your pipes too.
The experts advised: “Insulating your hot water pipes is a quick and easy way to save energy.
“As well as reducing heat loss from your system, pipe lagging will also prevent pipes from freezing and bursting.”
To insulate your pipes, you can simply buy foam insulation tubes online or from a DIY store and slip them over your pipes.
Foam pipe jackets cost around £18 to install and will reduce the risk of expensive repair bills from burst pipes.
Bleed your radiators and install reflector panels
In addition to this, you’ll need to take necessary measures to ensure that your radiators are doing their job properly.
Cold spots caused by trapped air could mean your radiators aren’t working as efficiently as they should be, and so the experts recommended getting a radiator bleeding key, which you can pick up from most DIY shops, as an easy way to heat your home with less effort.
Not only this, but they also explained that to maximise the heat from your radiators, you should install reflective radiator panels, which stop heat being lost in the walls and reflect it back into the room.
As well as this, sharing their free hack, the experts recommended: “Move any furniture away from your radiators, and remove any radiator covers. This makes sure no heat is being lost.”
Upgrade your heating controls
Not only this, but if you want your home to stay cosy this winter, upgrading your heating controls is a good place to start.
The energy-saving experts explained that room thermostats, which allow you to set and maintain the temperature at home, can be used to warm exactly when and where you want in your home.
Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) let you control the temperature of each radiator, so you’re only heating the rooms you need, which according to the experts, could save you around £110 a year.
Top up your hot water cylinder insulation
It doesn’t stop there, as the experts stressed the importance of topping up your hot water cylinder insulation.
Nearly all UK hot water cylinders have some insulation, but those with a hot water tank jacket under 25mm thick could benefit from top-up insulation.
5 ways to keep your house warm in winter
Property expert Joshua Houston shared his tips.
1. Curtains
“Windows are a common place for the outside cold to get into your home, this is because of small gaps that can let in air so always close your curtains as soon as it gets dark,” he said.
This simple method gives you an extra layer of warmth as it can provide a kind of “insulation” between your window and curtain.
2. Rugs
“Your floor is another area of your home where heat can be lost and can make your home feel chilly,” he continued. “You might notice on cold days, that your floor is not nice to walk on due to it freezing your feet.
“Add rugs to areas that don’t already have a carpet, this provides a layer of insulation between your bare floor and the room above.”
3. Check your insulation
Check your pipes, loft space, crawlspaces and underneath floorboards.
“Loose-fill insulation is very good for this, and is a more affordable type of insulation, with a big bag being able to be picked up for around £30,” Joshua explained.
4. Keep your internal doors closed
“Household members often gather in one room in the evening, and this is usually either the kitchen or living room,” Joshua said.
“This means you only have to heat a small area of your home, and closing the doors keeps the heat in and the cold out.”
5. Block drafts
Don’t forget to check cat flaps, chimneys and letterboxes, as they can let in cold air if they aren’t secure.
The experts claimed that topping up your hot water cylinder insulation from 25mm to an 80mm jacket could save around £40 a year.
Lift your loft insulation
Similar to this, whilst most homes have some loft insulation, it appears that many don’t have enough.
The recommended depth is 270mm and as a result, if your home is feeling cold, you’ll need to top this up.
According to the experts, topping up your loft insulation from 120mm to 270mm will help stop warmth escaping through the roof and could save you around £20 a year.
And for those who currently have no insulation in their loft, installing 270mm of new insulation could pocket you a jaw-dropping £230 a year.
Upgrade your boiler
Not only do you need to sort out your loft insulation, but if your boiler hasn’t been replaced for years, it’s a good idea to look at getting a new one.
If your boiler is more than 10 years old, it will be far less efficient than a newer model, so consider replacing it with a more efficient condensing boiler.
Cheap gadgets to help you stay warm
MARTIN Lewis' MoneySavingExpert shared six gadgets that can help you keep the heating off but stay warm.
Heating “the human not the home” means you warm yourself instead of turning on the heating and heating the whole house.
This can save money on your heating bill and means you don’t have to sit in the cold.
- USB gloves – initial cost £10, cost to run less than 1p an hour
- Heated insoles – initial cost £10, cost to run less than 1p an hour
- USB hand warmers – initial cost £15, cost to run less than 1p an hour
- Electric gilet – initial cost £50 (including battery pack), cost to run less than 1p an hour
- Microwaveable wheat bag – initial cost £4, cost to run less than 1p per hours
- Reusable hand warmers – initial cost £5 for a pair, cost to run less than 1p per hour
Whilst how much you can save depends on what kind of boiler you’re replacing, if you swap a G-rated boiler with an A-rated one, it could save you £250 a year.
If you already have a modern, efficient boiler, make sure you get it serviced once a year, to ensure there is no build up of sludge and that the boiler is working at maximum efficiency.
Insulate your walls
Finally, as well as insulating your loft, it’s important that you insulate your walls too.
Although wall insulation is a big investment, according to the experts, it can keep your home warm and cosy and result in a large saving.
Most homes built after 1920 have cavity walls and if such walls are uninsulated, adding cavity wall insulation could save up to £240 a year.
Meanwhile, most homes built before 1920 have solid walls and such insulation can save around £320 a year.