The winter months are closing in, and this is the time of year when you need to heat your home as efficiently as possible.
Whether you have central heating and don’t want to use it, or you live in a home that does not have such a system, you can always make use of innovative ways to help keep your house warm that don’t cost much money.
Here’s our tips that will help you keep your house warm without central heating, and that will help keep it warmer with your heating on!
Cover Bare Wood Floors
Wooden floors are very beautiful, and really add a touch of class to a room. But, and this is a fact we can’t get away from, they are also cold to the touch when the weather gets colder.
Not only that, but if you have bare floorboards, it is estimated that 10% of the heat in the home will be lost through them. Cover them up with rugs for the winter months, and save both heat and money.
Use Draught Excluders
You’ve probably seen those ‘sausage dog’ novelty draught excluders that people put at the bottom of their doors. Well, here’s the thing: they actually work!
You can use a purpose made draught excluder such as the ones mentioned, or simply use cushions; place them along the base of doors where draughts come through the cracks, and you’ll find quite a difference very quickly.
Utilize Sunlight
During winter days the sun can shine for several hours, and you should make sure you let it into the house.
Sunlight through the window can help take the cold edge off a room surprisingly quickly, so make sure that those rooms that face the sun are open to it when the sun is shining.
Close the Curtains
Once the sun has set, close the curtains.
You’ll be very surprised how much heat is lost through windows – even the best windows – that are left without curtains, and the heavier the curtain the better it will be at keeping heat in the room. In rooms with thin curtains, think about replacing them with heavier, winter curtains for the season, as it can make a great difference.
Fit Baseboard Heaters
The days of large, ugly and cumbersome stand-alone heaters are long gone. The trend today is to fit baseboard heaters: these sit at the base of a wall or even beneath kitchen cupboards, and they are surprisingly efficient, affordable and powerful.
They are also unobtrusive and clean in style, (here’s guide to choosing the best baseboard heater) which has all the information you need. It’s one way of getting heat instantly, when and where you need it.
Block Unused Chimneys
If you have decorative open fireplaces in your rooms, there will always be a draught from the chimney. Even if you don’t notice it, rest assured it’s there.
The best thing to do is use a chimney balloon; this temporary measure inflates inside the chimney and creates a barrier, blocking the chimney and stopping any draughts.
Of course, there is something else you can do with those open fires!
Refurbish Open Fires
You might want to look at having those old fireplaces opened up, and using them to burn wood or fuels that are permitted in your area.
It was common a few decades ago to block up the fireplace and board over it, but these days they are back in fashion as a feature. So, why not use them in winter to heat the room?
You might be surprised how much heat you get from a wood-burning open fire, and it’s also a very beautiful feature in a room.
Check Insulation
Keeping heat in is among the most important aspects of warming a house. Poor loft insulation means a great deal of your heat will simply disappear – heat rises, after all – and the same applies to damaged windows and doors, even if it’s just the seals. Good insulation, like bubble insulation can make sure your house is always warm on cold days but can also keep it cool and fresh during those hot days.
Check that your loft has plenty of insulating material – it’s an easy DIY job to lay more should you feel you need to – and also have a thorough inspection of all your doors and windows, to ensure they don’t have any obvious gaps or damage where heat can escape.
The above are just a few tips for investigating your homes heating and keeping them warm in the winter, and you might have your own ideas.
We recommend you look at modern, energy-efficient baseboard heaters for convenience, and also that – in the first instance – you check that your insulation is up to scratch, and remember to throw some rugs down on those bare floorboards!
Follow the above tips, and you can enjoy the winter months in a cosy, warm home!