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This is a collaborative post.
The nights are getting darker, earlier, the temperature’s dropping, and thanks to Santa, our pockets feel emptier than ever. With an impending energy crisis driving power prices up, it’s no surprise we’re all looking for ways to keep our homes warm without spending too much money.
It’s all very well telling people to invest in a Snuggie or wear an extra pair of socks to bed, but your home can’t wear a Snuggie. And without head you will soon find your home suffering from mould and other water damage, you’ll see condensation between your windows, your pipes could freeze, and you could see some flooding.
It’s important not just for your health but the health of your home that you keep it at least moderately warm at all times. If you are having trouble trying to keep the temperature up but the costs down, take a look at our handy guide.
Many people are asking right now:
How can I save on heating?
Saving money on heating can be achieved through several simple strategies.
Start by ensuring your home is well-insulated to prevent heat loss. Seal any gaps around windows and doors with weather stripping or caulk. Consider using a programmable thermostat to optimize temperature settings based on your schedule; lowering the temperature slightly can lead to significant savings. Regular maintenance of your heating system, like cleaning or replacing filters, can improve efficiency. Additionally, layer up with cozy clothing instead of cranking up the heat. Lastly, explore energy-efficient heating options, such as heat pumps or radiant floor heating, to lower future bills.
Take care of your windows
The amount of heat that is escaping through your closed windows is shocking. Where once you’ll have thought your neighbours were just unsociable, the winter months hit, and you realised that everyone is closing their curtains to conserve heat.
And it’s a good method. Some heavy curtains drawn will create somewhat of a barrier between the cold of the windowpane and the heat of your home.
If you still want to wave to the neighbour as she’s walking her dog, or keep the view you bought the house for, you can look into mesh or net curtains to keep the heat in. However, heavier curtains would be better.
To take it a step further, look into double or even triple glazing. If you see a lot of condensation on your windows, you might need it. Double glazing offers superior heat and sounds reservation, and triple glazing even more so. Double glazing is becoming more standard, but it isn’t as common in apartment blocks where you are higher up, and probably will need it more.
Take another look at your boiler
The age of your boiler is important to making sure you are getting the most for your money when it comes to heat. If your boiler is 5-10 years old, it will be emitting less heat and working harder to get you it, probably driving your gas bills up.
You can look into a new replacement boiler to make sure you have the most up to date tech. Today, boilers are far more efficient, designed to use less energy to do more.
It’s the little things
As counterproductive as this is going to sound, get a fan. We can all agree that a fan doesn’t actually cool the air but move it around. If the air is warm, don’t you want it coming in your direction?
You can also prompt the radiator a bit by covering cardboard with tinfoil and placing it behind your radiator. The theory is the heat will be redirected away from the walls and towards you.
And of course, if all else fails, invest in a Snuggie.