5 Ways To Winter Proof Your Home
Tips & Tricks | 29 May 2018
With winter officially beginning tomorrow, now’s the time (if you haven’t already) to get your home ready for the colder months ahead.
To give you a head start, we’ve got 5 tricks that’ll keep you warm and toasty over those upcoming winter nights.
1) Insulate
Not only will insulating cut your heating bill in half, but it will also turn up the heat in your home without having to touch the thermostat.
Head to your local hardware store and pick up some insulation batts to get started. Begin insulating the roof before working your way down (if possible) for the most efficient savings.
2) Look for draughts
Up to 20% of your home’s heat loss can be caused by draughts. Scour your house for holes and gaps to find where the source of heat loss is.
Start with the windows by checking the seals, before looking at the hinges and catches to ensure they’re securely fastened to the frame.
Use a quality sealant on your window trims before purchasing (or making your own) door snake to keep the heat locked inside.
3) Move your furniture
Keeping your couch by the fire or heater may seem like the quickest way to stay warm and toasty. But planting your furniture in front of the heat source can actually have the opposite effect. Blocking heating vents with large items of furniture will prevent the warm air from being efficiently distributed throughout your interior spaces and the heat that is absorbed may even deteriorate your furniture at a faster than normal rate.
Even subtly re-positioning your furnishings can make a large difference!
4) Turn down the thermostat
This one may sound a little counterintuitive, but moving your thermostat down just 1°C can slash your heating bill by 10%.
The World Health Organisation recommends setting your thermostat to 18°C for a healthy living room temperature.
5) Use curtains wherever possible
Following on from our first point, curtains can go a long way in keeping the warm air inside your home.
During the day, remember to open all your curtains to let the sun do its trick before shutting them as it gets dark. This will insulate your home, keeping it warm and toasty. With curtains or drapes, the thicker the fabric – the better.