Top 12 Winter Tips to Keep Your Home Warm!

Winter has arrived! It’s that time of the year when people living in the UK find ways to conserve energy, keeping their homes warm and energy bills down. However, not everyone can do this with ease as many people find themselves with a broken boiler just as winter arrives.

This mainly happens due to a lack of maintenance. This problem gets even more severe when they must pay a hefty amount between £100-£500 to repair a broken boiler.

However, if you have a boiler cover in place, the cost will be minimized. But if you don’t, then to keep warm, you will have to bear the cost. The situation gets worse when you are ready to pay the amount but still have to wait as the cases related to boiler breakdown spike up big time in the UK and the repair providers are already busy with plenty of cases.

So, how to avoid this situation and keep your home warm this winter? This blog discusses just that as I am going to tell you about 12 Winter Tips to keep your home warm and reduce your energy bills.

Top 12 Tips to Keep Your Home Warm this Winter!

Tip 1: Draught-Proof your Doors

Keep heat in by ensuring any leaks around your home are sealed. Use draught excluders by your doors to prevent the warm air from escaping—if you don’t have one, then create a makeshift draught excluder by rolling up some old towels or pillows.

Tip 2: Draught-Proof your Windows

Block cold air from entering the home by ensuring draughty windows and door cracks are covered. Plug any little gaps to prevent the cold air from getting in. Letterboxes are notorious for letting the cold air in, so it’s worthwhile investing in a brush seal to keep your house cosy.

Tip 3: Replace old curtains with Thermal curtains

Consider thermal curtains for your windows. Thermal curtains can reduce heat loss by up to 25%, so hang them in the rooms you use the most.

Tip 4: Leave your oven door open

For an extra boost of warmth, leave your oven door open after cooking and use this heat to warm up the house (be vigilant if you have small children). Or leave the bathroom door open while running a bath or shower, as this could allow the steam and heat to travel into nearby rooms.

Tip 5: Wear warm clothes

Don’t forget to layer up. To save money on your heating bills, wrap up warm around the house and invest in some cosy slippers. Keep the temperature of the house at a reasonable level and keep blankets on standby!

Tip 6: Eat right

Keep yourself warm with food! Making hot chocolate or hot soup will ensure your mind is kept off the cold, and it can help you keep warm from within. Winter is the perfect time for hearty food too—from stews to porridge—so now is the time to get cooking.

Tip 7: Maintain your Boiler

Ensure you have your boiler and appliances checked regularly. Every gas appliance should be checked once a year by a Gas Safe-registered engineer. Poorly maintained appliances can be extremely dangerous, so arrange a check as quickly as possible to ensure your boiler is working efficiently.

It’s worth considering taking out appliance cover, boiler insurance or home emergency cover for peace of mind. Homeowners can pay a hefty unexpected cost to call someone out to check on their boiler or central heating, especially during the colder months.

We offer a range of cover insurance or one-off repairs. Have a look at our special offer boiler service, boiler repair and boiler replacement now!

Tip 8: Invest in a Smart Thermostat

Investing in a smart thermostat is a wise decision this winter. Not only will it save you money on your energy bills by reducing consumption, but it will also adjust to your home’s heating patterns. Additionally, it can give you greater control over your home’s temperature, creating a more comfortable and energy-efficient environment.

Read more: How does a thermostat work?

Tip 9: Always stay prepared for power cuts

Power cuts are quite regular during the winter. So it’s better to be prepared rather than sorry. What you need to do to prepare for power cuts is to do the following:

• Get a power bank to keep your necessary electrical gadgets charged, including laptops, mobile phones, smartwatches, and rechargeable flashlights.

• Check your food supplies and stock up on non-perishable foods and bottled water to ensure you are prepared for any emergency. Consider what you already have on hand, such as an outdoor grill, to cook with during a winter power outage. If you don’t have access to a grill, there are still plenty of options, including dried fruit, nuts, cereals, instant coffee, powdered milk, and canned goods. By stocking up on these items, you can ensure that you and your family are safe and secure in an emergency.

• Lastly, ensure that all doors and windows are securely closed. Gather essential items such as flashlights, candles, and lanterns to provide light in a power outage. Additionally, it is essential to switch off any electrical items such as televisions, gaming systems, microwaves, and washing machines to avoid potential damage.

Tip 10: Give your Radiators some space

Covering up your radiators with furniture and items will not only block heat and affect their efficiency but it might also damage the furniture in the long run. So, make sure when your radiators are on, no item or furniture is placed against them.

Also, if you have curtains, make sure their length only covers the windows and not the radiators. This way, you can maximise the heating efficiency of your radiators, especially in winter.

Tip 11: Bleed Out your Radiators

If your radiator is not distributing heat properly around your home and is getting cold at the top, then the reason might be trapped air. This is a common issue caused by trapped air in your radiators that builds up over time. But no worries, as this problem can be easily solved by yourself!

All you need to do is bleed your radiators. If you don’t know how to bleed your radiators, then read our helpful blog “How to Bleed a Radiator – Step-by-Step Guide“.

Tip 12: Use your Ceiling Fan Clockwise

Finally, optimise your fan! This is a pro tip that can change the game for you in winter. As we all know, in summer, ceiling fans operate counterclockwise, pushing warm air upwards and cooler air downwards for the cooling effect. But in winter, you can change the direction of your fan’s blades to make it rotate clockwise.

This minor adjustment will make the fan push warm air towards the ceiling and then force it down and towards the walls. By doing so, you can ensure efficient air circulation and keep your home warm and cosy throughout winter. Make sure you run your ceiling fans at a lower speed.

Above I have mentioned 12 tips that you can practise this winter to keep your home warm these winters. However, there is a checklist you need to also follow along with these tips that are mentioned below!

Winter Checklist

1- Get your gutters cleared.

Getting the gutters cleared is a tedious but essential task. Autumn is here, and once the leaves begin to fall, your drainpipes and gutters will collect huge amounts of loose foliage. Once they’re blocked, the rain will begin seeping through the roof and into the walls of your home.

2- It’s also time to degrease your appliances.

Again, not the most glamorous of chores, but doing so can prevent having to fork out for more than you have to cover the build-up to Christmas. Allowing grease to build up on your oven and microwave reduces both its’ efficiency and life span. It’s also important that you regularly remove the grease filter in the range hood and give it a good wash in hot, soapy water.

3- Ensure you have a boiler cover in place.

If you haven’t already or are unsure, now is the time to check. It’s hard to imagine suffering without heating or hot water in your own home over the winter, so double-check that you have sufficient cover in place to protect your family (and your pocket) if anything were to happen.

4- Carry out a safety drill.

It may sound dramatic, but with your fireplace or furnace on full blast, it’s crucial to test your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. If the alarm doesn’t sound, don’t panic—install new batteries and get rid of any trapped dust.

5- Call in a chimney sweep.

If you have a chimney, that is! A lot of us underestimate just how dangerous a chimney fire can be. So, before you burn your Yule Log, make sure the chimney is spick and span (or get a professional to) and avoid fires or traces of Carbon Monoxide from entering your home.

6- Make a drainage plan.

It’s no surprise that we will be subject to a few downpours this winter, but by making sure that your home and garden are best fitted to deal with these conditions, you can keep the damage to a minimum, both internally and externally.

Pour a bit of bleach down the drains to prevent slow-running taps and lay a land drain for your garden. Grass and plants will die if they are too saturated, and the mud will find its way into your home on the soles of people’s shoes!

Conclusion

After reading the above blog you will now be able to enjoy winters with a warmer and cosy home. Important things to remember is maintain your boiler get it serviced, draught-proof your doors and windows, and adjust your ceiling fan blades and thermostat temperature. Also, take care of your diet eating right is the key.

However, if you are facing any problems regarding your boiler don’t worry give us a call on 0345 3192 247 and one of our representatives will book your appointment and send a gas-safe registered engineer as soon as possible.