9 Cost-effective Ways to Warm Up Your Home This Winter
Keep your home toasty during the chilly months with these simple ideas that won’t break the bank
As the cold weather sets in, keeping your home cosy without racking up a huge heating bill can be tricky, but there are some cheap and easy ways you can keep warm air in and cold air out, and save some money into the bargain. Bookmark these ideas for weatherproofing your home, so you can enjoy a draught-free and toasty abode that will keep you snug all winter.
Don’t lose heat up the chimney
You can lose a lot of heat through an unused open fireplace. If yours is purely decorative, consider using a chimney balloon to keep warm air in and cold air out. These work by effectively blocking the chimney. They’re designed to inflate and push against all four walls, holding themselves firmly in place.
They come with a small vent, which will allow for a little air flow, so your chimney can still ‘breathe’. And if you do wish to use your fireplace at a later date, your balloon can easily be removed.
You can lose a lot of heat through an unused open fireplace. If yours is purely decorative, consider using a chimney balloon to keep warm air in and cold air out. These work by effectively blocking the chimney. They’re designed to inflate and push against all four walls, holding themselves firmly in place.
They come with a small vent, which will allow for a little air flow, so your chimney can still ‘breathe’. And if you do wish to use your fireplace at a later date, your balloon can easily be removed.
Fit a radiator reflector
Radiators diffuse heat both into the room and into the wall behind. This means a lot of the warmth simply gets lost to the outside.
If you have any radiators positioned on an external wall, it’s worth investing in reflectors. These are thin sheets of foil-covered foam that you install behind the radiator to help reflect the heat back into the room.
Radiators diffuse heat both into the room and into the wall behind. This means a lot of the warmth simply gets lost to the outside.
If you have any radiators positioned on an external wall, it’s worth investing in reflectors. These are thin sheets of foil-covered foam that you install behind the radiator to help reflect the heat back into the room.
Draught-proof external doors
Cold air from outside can creep in through the keyhole, letterbox, and gaps around the door. You can save a small amount on heating bills by draught-proofing each problem area with some quick and easy solutions.
Over your keyhole, fit a metal escutcheon with a disc attached that swings aside when you need to access the lock. To prevent a draughty letterbox, fit a letterbox flap or brush, but remember to check the measurements before you buy.
The gap along the bottom of the door can be filled with a brush draught excluder, and for gaps around the edges, use a self-adhesive foam tape or brush strip.
Cold air from outside can creep in through the keyhole, letterbox, and gaps around the door. You can save a small amount on heating bills by draught-proofing each problem area with some quick and easy solutions.
Over your keyhole, fit a metal escutcheon with a disc attached that swings aside when you need to access the lock. To prevent a draughty letterbox, fit a letterbox flap or brush, but remember to check the measurements before you buy.
The gap along the bottom of the door can be filled with a brush draught excluder, and for gaps around the edges, use a self-adhesive foam tape or brush strip.
Tackle loose-fitting windows
The best way to check for draughts from your windows is to hold a lit candle close to the frame and see where it flickers.
You can cut down on draughts by using a window frame sealant. Foam seal tapes are a cheap option and easy to install, as they’re self-adhesive. They won’t work well with sliding sash windows, though. Alternatively, look at a silicone-based sealant, which is fully waterproof and can bond to almost anything.
Brush strips will cost a bit more, but they should last longer.
The best way to check for draughts from your windows is to hold a lit candle close to the frame and see where it flickers.
You can cut down on draughts by using a window frame sealant. Foam seal tapes are a cheap option and easy to install, as they’re self-adhesive. They won’t work well with sliding sash windows, though. Alternatively, look at a silicone-based sealant, which is fully waterproof and can bond to almost anything.
Brush strips will cost a bit more, but they should last longer.
Let the sunlight in during the day
This natural and free heat should be made use of as much as possible. Open curtains, blinds or shutters as soon as the sun comes up in the morning and let the light and warmth flood in. As soon as dusk falls, close them again to retain any heat you’ve stored up during the day for as long as possible.
This natural and free heat should be made use of as much as possible. Open curtains, blinds or shutters as soon as the sun comes up in the morning and let the light and warmth flood in. As soon as dusk falls, close them again to retain any heat you’ve stored up during the day for as long as possible.
Clear the space around your radiators
You want to warm the room, not the back of your sofa, so keep radiators free from large pieces of furniture that will hog all the heat. If your room layout doesn’t allow this, even pulling furniture a few inches away from the radiator will make a lot of difference.
Avoid drying clothes on radiators, too, as it only makes your boiler work harder than it needs to. The wet clothes prevent heat from being released into the room, and the extra moisture in the air means it takes more energy to heat up the whole room.
You want to warm the room, not the back of your sofa, so keep radiators free from large pieces of furniture that will hog all the heat. If your room layout doesn’t allow this, even pulling furniture a few inches away from the radiator will make a lot of difference.
Avoid drying clothes on radiators, too, as it only makes your boiler work harder than it needs to. The wet clothes prevent heat from being released into the room, and the extra moisture in the air means it takes more energy to heat up the whole room.
Hang curtains with a thermal lining
Thermal curtains can help lower your heating costs, as they’ll keep your room cosy by preventing warm air from escaping through the window. The rule is simple: the thicker the better.
You don’t need to splash out on a brand-new pair of curtains, though – you can line your existing drapes yourself with a material such as fleece or a specialist thermal liner. Thermal-lined curtains also keep the room cool in summer, so they’re definitely worth the investment.
Find out if two window dressings are better than one
Thermal curtains can help lower your heating costs, as they’ll keep your room cosy by preventing warm air from escaping through the window. The rule is simple: the thicker the better.
You don’t need to splash out on a brand-new pair of curtains, though – you can line your existing drapes yourself with a material such as fleece or a specialist thermal liner. Thermal-lined curtains also keep the room cool in summer, so they’re definitely worth the investment.
Find out if two window dressings are better than one
Cut your energy bills with a wood-burning stove
There may be a large upfront cost, but you should make your money back, and more, over the years with a wood-burning stove if it helps reduce your bills for other, more expensive, fuel sources.
Alternatively, bioethanol fireplaces run on a carbon-neutral fuel, are easy to install, and don’t require a flue, so they can be placed anywhere. Also, the fuel is stored in a small tank beneath the fire, so there’s no need for any pipework.
A wood-pellet stove uses a fan to spread heat evenly around the room and the temperature can be regulated by a thermostat.
Another option is a gas fire, which is very low maintenance. You can shop around for a competitive tariff that you can also tie in with your electricity bill. And don’t worry if you’re not on mains gas – you can still have a gas fire using LPG canisters.
Have you used any of these cost-effective ideas to warm up your home? Share your experiences and any of your own useful tips in the Comments section.
There may be a large upfront cost, but you should make your money back, and more, over the years with a wood-burning stove if it helps reduce your bills for other, more expensive, fuel sources.
Alternatively, bioethanol fireplaces run on a carbon-neutral fuel, are easy to install, and don’t require a flue, so they can be placed anywhere. Also, the fuel is stored in a small tank beneath the fire, so there’s no need for any pipework.
A wood-pellet stove uses a fan to spread heat evenly around the room and the temperature can be regulated by a thermostat.
Another option is a gas fire, which is very low maintenance. You can shop around for a competitive tariff that you can also tie in with your electricity bill. And don’t worry if you’re not on mains gas – you can still have a gas fire using LPG canisters.
Have you used any of these cost-effective ideas to warm up your home? Share your experiences and any of your own useful tips in the Comments section.
Draught-proofing is one of the most effective ways to save energy and money in any type of home. In period properties, original wood flooring tends to have lots of gaps, and even a small opening will allow draughts up and into the room. The gaps can cool down a space in the same way that leaving a small window open would.
Block up any unwanted crevices with a wood filler. It’s best to go for one that can tolerate movement from the boards, so anything silicone-based is a good choice.
There are also a couple of products on the market that simply push down into the gaps to keep out draughts, which are fairly quick to fit and very effective.
A beginner’s guide to heating a cold kitchen on any budget