We’re all feeling the crunch this winter. With gas and electricity prices continuing to rise, many are reluctant to turn their heating on. However, not using the heating at all comes with consequences. For starters, you risk serious damage to your home. If the water in your pipes reaches freezing point, the pipes can burst. Your home will also likely become damp and mildewy if it’s too cold, which poses a significant health risk. Illnesses as a result of cold conditions can range from common colds through to pneumonia and even heart attacks. It’s not worth risking leaving your heating off when the temperature starts to plummet.
This means that you can’t – and shouldn’t – avoid turning the heating on this winter. However, there are still some steps that you can take to ensure that you’re heating your home efficiently and cost-effectively.
Cover Your Windows To Keep The Heat In
The most obvious way to cover your windows is to close the blinds or shut your curtains. This adds an extra layer of insulation and helps to keep the heat in and the cold out.
You can also try adding a layer of cling film to your windows. That’s right, the stuff you use to wrap sandwiches in! This trick is ideal for homeowners who only have single glazed windows, as this adds a little bit of extra insulation. Cling film is very inexpensive, so you don’t have much to lose if you decide to try this unusual hack.
Keep Draughts Out
Place draught excluders under your doors to ensure that heat isn’t escaping through any gaps. If you have a porch or utility room that always feels colder than the rest of your home, make sure you cover any area of the door that the cold air could escape through. You can use draught excluder cushions or rubber seals to achieve this in a wallet-friendly way.
Turn The Heating Down
Just because you have the heating on, it doesn’t mean that is has to be on full blast. Consider setting the temperature a degree or two lower than usual. Just one degree lower could result in a reduction of 10% on your heating bill!
Rearrange The Furniture
If a large piece of furniture (like your sofa) is covering most of the radiator, you should move it away. When the radiator is blocked, the object that’s covering it will absorb most of the heat. Your room will get the most heat output from a radiator that’s completely exposed.
As well as this, if your bed is up against an external wall, you might want to consider moving it. External walls, especially those with windows, aren’t as effective at keeping heat in. Moving your bed away from the external wall is an excellent way to get warmer without spending any money.
Check Your Boiler
Has your boiler had its annual service? If not, don’t hesitate to book it in. When your boiler is correctly maintained and serviced it will run more efficiently. If your boiler is more than 10 years old, consider investing in a new one. Newer boilers use less energy and produce heat a lot more effectively. You could save a lot of money on your heating bill for years to come when your boiler is in top condition.
