With temperatures dropping across the country, many families will be looking for ways to keep warm this winter.
But although turning the heating on at some point is inevitable as the mercury plummets, with high gas and electricity costs, households will be keen to find ways to keep the heat up without spending money.
And so below, i has run through some of the top ways that you can stay toasty, without your gas meter ticking over.
Making sure you are using your curtains effectively
Letting in natural light in the day is an important part of keeping your home warm, but once it’s dark, this can makes things colder.
Rebecca Armstrong, managing director at retrofit business Making Energy Greener, explains: “Open your curtains during the day to let sunlight in and close them in the evening to keep the warmth in.”
Octopus Energy suggests that not closing curtains before it goes dark can lead to heat loss of around 15 per cent.
As an additional tip, when radiators within the home are turned on, it’s important to not allow the curtains to cover the radiator, as this will direct the heat towards the window.
“Instead, make sure the radiator is exposed by gently placing the curtains behind the radiator, which will help to heat the entire room” explains energy switching service Utility Bidder
Consider rearranging your furniture
Rearranging your furniture effectively to ensure places where you sit or sleep are away from potentially draughty windows and doors is a good starting point.
Rex Isap, CEO at Happy Beds, explains: “If you have any slight drafts or glass windows, the area around here is likely going to be the coolest in your bedroom. For a quick and free solution, try rearranging the room and moving your bed away from any windows.”
This same logic can be applied to sofas and other types of seating as well.
And Oliver Creevy, co-founder and managing director at Insulation Advisor, adds: “Placing larger pieces of furniture, like sofas or bookshelves, against exterior walls can act as insulation, helping to keep the cold air out and the warm air in.”
Secondary to this, ensure that your radiators are not being blocked by furniture, so that when they are on, they’re being as efficient as possible.
“This will soak up the majority of the heat. Instead, leave the radiators exposed in order for it to heat the whole room,” according to Utility Bidder.
House have a chimney? Block it if you don’t use it
While this tip may not help all households, there are 11 million chimneys across the country, and many are probably not being used.
Octopus Energy says: “Chimneys are often overlooked or ignored, but an unblocked chimney is like leaving a window open 24 hours a day. If you have one you’re not using, make sure you block it up.”
Energy Saving Trust explains that chimneys draw air out, whereas we need warm air in our home.
It says there are different tiers to chimney blocking, and that first up is getting a draught excluder, which can cost as little as £20.
The organisation has calculated that the savings could amount to £90 per year on heating, so it can soon pay for itself.
But it adds: “The other option is getting your chimney fitted with a ‘cap’, normally made from terracotta. This provides better insulation and protection, from moisture and birds as well as draughts. But it is more expensive, with prices starting at around £150.”
Shut internal doors… and only use one external one
Closing internal doors is a key way to stay warm according to Nicholas Auckland, heating expert at Trade Radiators.
“This is especially important if your entire family is using one room, as it prevents the build-up of heat from our bodies from escaping into unused parts of the house,” he said.
Mr Auckland added this thinking can be applied to external doors too.
“If you have a front door and a back door that are both frequently used by everyone, then cold air is coming in from both sides and letting heat out from both sides. To prevent this, I recommend only using one door to enter and exit from.”
Plug gaps with draught excluders
“A continuous draught can quickly undo all the good work of your heating,” says Octopus Energy.
The obvious draughts to plug are open windows. Many people have to have these open at some point in the day – even during winter – in order to increase ventilation and stop mould and mildew build up.
In terms of stopping draughts, a good place to start is to remember to close any open windows before the sun goes down.
Beyond this, plugging any other space in your home is vital. The government’s own energy saving tips website explains: “Draught-proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective actions you can take to stop or prevent heat escaping and reduce your energy bills. Block unwanted gaps around windows, doors and floors that let the cold air in and warm air out.”
It adds that window film is a form of temporary secondary glazing which helps stop heat escaping through glass.
The Energy Saving Trust says that draught-proofing windows and doors could save you around £45 a year on your energy bills.
