It is that time of year again, when weather bulletins report ‘it’s the coldest…; it’s the wettest…; it’s the whitest…'
With dipping temperatures across the UK, households are once again preparing their winter woollens and de-icer for their cars. It is also important for home owners and tenants to efficiently heat their properties, to prevent damp, mould, cold draughts or other nasty issues. With this, for some, comes the worry of cost implications, with ever spiralling energy bills.
There are other ways to keep warm and your homes protected, whilst keeping the costs under control. Here are a few handy tips:
1. Draw the curtains (or blinds)
When it starts to get colder and darker, keep as much heat in as possible, by closing the windows and drawing the curtains. Good thick curtains that are lined will also act as a draught excluder. However, it is just as important to ventilate your home as much as you can. Failure to do so could lead to problems with condensation, damp and mould.
Don’t be tempted to keep the curtains closed all day – as any light streaming through the windows in the daylight hours can help keep rooms comfortable and it won’t cost you a penny!
2. Keep your radiators unobstructed
Is your favourite seat in the house, the one closest to the radiator, where you can snuggle up to the warmth? Moving the sofa away from the radiator will let the warm air circulate around the room more efficiently.
It would seem to be more cost effective to hang washing from the radiators, instead of using the tumble dryer – however this is also obstructing the warm air from circulating. Invest in a good sized clothes airer instead.
3. Just 1 degree makes a difference
Turning a thermostat down by 1ºC could reduce household bills. Some media outlets suggest that it may be wise to think about turning your heating on a little earlier than you need to each morning and evening, at a slightly lower temperature. Others are of the opinion it is more effective and cost efficient to run your heating constantly all day, rather than setting timers for short term, high heat periods. It is important to understand how your boiler and thermostat work, in order to benefit efficiently.
4. Close the doors and block out the draughts
Doors left open are an invitation for cold air to flow from room to room through a house and let the warm air escape. Always close the doors to retain the warmth in the rooms you are using. Also simple little things like, draughter excluders at the bottom of doors, can prevent cold air from entering the room.
5. Snug as a bug in a rug
Many of the Cotswolds period homes and some modern houses, capitalise on period features – one of which is the old Cotswolds stone, flagstone floors. However, stone floors are cold and do take time to heat, therefore by putting down rugs in the main living spaces, will help with insulation.
6. Wrap up warm
The ladies in the lettings department of Butler Sherborn, swear by their cosy slippers (with a few of us admitting to owning a cosy onesie) on the cold wintery evenings.
The above are just some tips to help keep you and your home warm throughout the winter months.
