We are facing a very long and difficult winter with energy bills to match. The energy crisis catalysed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is only getting worse and recent governmental movements closer to home haven’t appeared to help much, if at all.
So, with the winter now almost here and the nights getting longer and colder, how are we meant to keep ourselves, our homes, and our loved ones warm this winter without spending a fortune on energy? Here, we’ll be exploring five ways to keep the warmth in without turning up the thermostat.
1. Seal cracks in your windows and doors
Even a small crack can let a surprising amount of heat escape. Use a strong light to check for cracks in your doors by shining it around the door and having someone from the other side see how much light leaks through and where it leaks from. These are the areas that should be sealed with caulk or draught excluders. Repeat these steps for your window frames and don’t skimp on the caulk. Also, you might need to insulate your electrical outlets.
2. Get better blankets
Good quality blankets should be an absolute must for the coming winter months. Ensure that your duvet is as thick and fluffy as possible and go for textiles that are engineered to trap heat rather than just displace it. Of course, there needs to be some heat to trap first, so blankets are never going to be helpful alone, but when used in tandem with other tips it will certainly help. Use the same logic for your curtains too – keep them drawn during the day to trap sunlight in your home and use blackout shades with a thermal lining at night to keep that warmth from escaping.
3. Be old fashioned
If you have a fireplace or log burner in your home, then don’t be afraid to fire it up. You might have once chosen to ‘save it’ for situations where it was exceptionally cold but wood, as a resource, is probably going to be cheaper right now than keeping the central heating on full blast. Just be sure to keep the doors closed if you want to focus the heat in one room and keep them open if you want to heat to hit the whole house.
4. Close unused rooms
If there are rooms in the home you rarely use (a spare bedroom, for example) then keep the doors closed as much as possible. You don’t want to waste warmth going to a room that nobody is going to be using. It might be a little chilly if you choose to invite a friend to stop the night, of course, but for most daily use, this is a strong tactic.
5. Get a smart metre
Programmable thermostats such as the Nest are incredibly useful and can be controlled from anywhere with network access. It also allows you to have a more top-down view of your energy expenditure and plan your heating from a more economical perspective.