How to Keep Your House Warm in Winter
As winter makes our houses that little bit chiller with its cold breezes, you might be wondering about some efficient ways in which to keep your house warm without incurring higher bills.
But worry not, because our guide will have you keeping toasty in the winter without increasing your heating bill.
First, check if you can claim money back for heating your home
If you’ve worked at home since 6th April 2020, you may be eligible to claim money back from your employer or claim tax relief to support your heating and energy bills. Employers can pay you £6 per week, but it might not be worth asking with the present economic condition. As an alternative, you can claim tax relief for additional household costs if you regularly work at home. You can read more about it here.
Another option is to ask your landlord to help you. They are not obliged to but as the government is running a Green Homes Grant, they might get a £5,000 contribution to replace windows or insulate the roof.
Tips for keeping the house warm
Draw the curtains
If you keep your windows closed and draw your blinds and curtains in your living room, you will prevent the heat from escaping for your house.
However, if you close completely outside air, it might cause condensation, damp, and mould phenomenons, which will not help your heating strategy. Remember to ventilate the room well after you take a shower or cook a meal.
Use draught excluders
They are extremely handy and available in all shapes, colours and sizes. They will excellently keep the cold out and the warm inside your house. Prices may vary, but they are usually from £4 to £16.
Get a clothes horse
If you hang your wet clothes and linen on radiators, they’ll dry more quickly, but this will prevent your house from heating properly. Instead, if you’ll use a clothes horse, your house will stay warmer.
Keep your thermostat at the same level
To keep your heating at a constant low heat will be more effective and less expensive than switching it on and off for hours. On the first day, it might take longer to warm up, but this will be a very efficient heating solution in the long run. Remember, you’ll need to be literate about your thermostat settings and timer.
Close the doors
If you keep the doors of your house close at all times this will prevent heating from escaping room; indeed, you will be able to have a great temperature and climate in all rooms with this basic technique.
Buy some rugs
If you have a wooden floor, you’ll lose more heat than with carpet flooring. However, you can quickly remedy this by buying some rugs to place on your floor to prevent heating from escaping the room.
Place blankets throughout the house
Blankets will transform your room into a cosy and warm place. You can put them where they’re more needed, like on the sofa where you can watch tv, or over your duvet for the night.
Place tin foil behind the radiator
Nearly half of your radiator’s heat will go into the wall behind it. To help the heat remain in the room, you can wrap some card with tin foil and put it behind the radiator if you want it done in a professional way to buy a radiator insulation foil.
Leave the oven door open
If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, surely it has occurred to you that by warming up the oven and then leaving its door open will warm the room very well.
Put up some wall hangings
Wall hangings around the house will prevent the heat escape from your walls and add a cosy and edgy look to your home.
These are a few tips to make your home warmer, but remember that if you have serious problems with your boiler or the property insulation, you should get in contact with your landlord or letting agent as soon as possible.
