10 cost-effective ways to stay warm this winter.

Winter always brings with it dark mornings and cold nights – but this year, the pressure to save money whilst staying warm is higher than ever. Read on for our 10 cost-effective tips for keeping the chill out this winter.

December has officially landed with a bang – a drastic drop in temperature and a dizzying spike in bills. We all knew it was coming, but the reality has been altogether concerning. Many of us are desperately trying to keep the heating off for as long as possible; so, knowing how to keep your house warm without gas or electricity is incredibly important for winter 2022/2023. 

How can you stay warm without gas and electricity? There’s a few different things you can do, such as:

• Block your cracks and crevices
• Consider installing double or triple glazing 
• Invest in thick curtains
• Allow sunlight in during the day
• Check how efficient your chimney is
• Keep doors closed
• Explore solar heating
• Grab those blankets and layers
• Maximise home insulation
• Set timers on your heating

Of course, we will dive into more detail about each avenue and help you decide what the best route might be for your home.

1 – Block your cracks and crevices.

You might not notice it on a daily basis, but small cracks and crevices around your home’s windows and doors can let in a staggering amount of cold air. This is a great place to start, and we recommend using towels or similar thick materials to block drafts and keep your home toasty warm.

2 – Consider installing double or triple glazing.

Double or triple glazing is a great way to retain heat within your home and reduce noise pollution. Triple glazing takes things a step further and will allow you to maintain the temperature in your house by creating a seal that reduces drafts.

YOU MIGHT LIKE: TRIPLE GLAZING | IS IT WORTH IT?

3 – Invest in thick curtains (and keep them closed at night).

One often forgotten way to avoid losing heat through your window during the winter is to invest in a set of heavy, thick curtains that can be closed in the evening, trapping the heat inside. 

4 – Allow sunlight in during the day.

Keep your blinds and curtains open during the day if you are able to (aka if it feels safe!). This will allow sunlight into your home to warm up the rooms naturally. At night, close the blinds to keep the warm air in and stop those pesky drafts.

5 – Check how efficient your chimney is.

Open fireplaces can be a significant form of heat loss within a home. A chimney without a closed damper or draft excluder can quickly lead to a cold draft and heat loss during those brisk winter months. Ways to avoid this are closing the damper in your chimney between fires or use a draft excluder for the chimney balloon to seal.

6 – Keep doors closed.

Keeping doors closed of unused rooms will prevent cold air moving into the rest of the house and contain the heat generated in the smaller areas. There’s absolutely no reason for you not to do this – go and check they’re closed now! Go go go! 

7 – Explore solar heating.

Solar heaters are a brilliant way to heat your house without power. Described as panels, these devices use the sun to heat your house. While they are pretty expensive, you are able to invest in a single panel and use it to heat the room you are mostly in as well as your hot water.

RELATED: WHAT IS A SOLAR WATER HEATER?

8 – Grab those blankets and layers.

With no power to heat your home, your body can quickly feel the outdoor temperatures and will struggle to stay warm. Layering clothing and grabbing blankets will be one of the easiest ways to ensure you keep warm with no power. Make sure to remember your feet, hands and head as those areas can lose heat quickly! Dressing gowns will become your new bestie.

9 – Maximise the impact of your insulation.

Up to half of the heat in a house can escape through the roof, walls, windows and floor if a building is not well insulated. Insulation is the equivalent of putting a big blanket around your house; the walls, roof, floor, windows and doors, helping to maintain the temperature inside at your preferred level.

In fact, insulating your loft to a standard depth of 27cm is probably the easiest and most effective way to heat your home and stop air from escaping.

RELATED: WHAT IS WOOD FIBRE INSULATION?

10 – Set heating timers.

Setting timers on your heating and hot water will allow you to control when the system turns on and off. This is mega handy as it means you can programme your central heating to fit around the way you use your home on a daily basis. If you’re not at home, the heating doesn’t need to be on, saving you a good chunk of money in energy bills.

Can Buildpass help me make my home more energy efficient and comfortable?

We’re so glad you asked. Here at Buildpass, we’re experts when it comes to energy efficiency. It’s our job to help you adjust your home (or create a new one altogether) so that sustainability is at the heart, comfort at the core and savings front and centre. Get in touch with us today.