With winter just around the corner, temperatures are starting to drop, and you may be feeling the cold. Draughty windows and gaps around doors can lead to cold blowing on you when you are trying to relax, which isn’t pleasant!
Finding ways to keep the cold out is essential for your well-being, as well as keeping energy costs down. Here are some tips to help you winter-proof your home and keep the cold at bay.
Seal draughts and gaps
Draught-proofing your home is one of the easiest and cheapest ways you can keep the heat inside trapped. Controlled ventilation is good as it prevents dampness and condensation, but draughts are uncontrolled and need to be sorted.
Take some time to identify draughty areas. Typically, these are round windows, doors, chimneys, and even letterboxes. You can fix some of these issues yourself without needing professional help. Stick some self-adhesive foam strips around the gaps in your window to block out the cold.
Doors with letterboxes will benefit from a letterbox brush to prevent draughts. You can also use a brush or drop-down draught excluder if there is a gap around the bottom of your door too.
Insulate windows with simple solutions
Windows are a common culprit for draughts, so dressing them carefully can reduce the number of breezes coming through as well.
Heavy curtains that you can pull at night when it is especially cold will help to prevent it from getting into the room. Window insulation film is another cheap option. Simply cut it to size and secure it to your windows. A top tip is to use a hairdryer to seal the film to your window properly – just watch out for trapped air bubbles.
If you have single glazing, consider upgrading your windows to double glazing. This may require some savings, but it will be worth it in the long run.
Maintain and optimise your heating system
Your heating system is perhaps one of the most important elements in your home during winter. Before the cold really hits, get a professional to give it a service. Gas engineers get very busy during the winter months, so try to get ahead of the curve.
You may be advised that replacing your boiler will help your heating system to run more efficiently. Again, though this may cost initially, it will wind up saving you money over the years to come on your heating bills.
Heating settings are personal to each household – some like it tropical, whilst others are happy to just take the edge off. If you like it warmer, try turning your thermostat down to a degree. This small adjustment can help to save you around 10% on your bill.
