10 top tips for preparing your home for the Winter | 247 Blog
Tips
Posted 21/09/2022
With the cost of living going up at an alarming rate, it’s no surprise that we’re all doing research into ways to keep our homes warm for the Autumn and Winter, while attempting to keep our rapidly growing energy bills to a minimum. With Summer well and truly over, it's the perfect time to wind down and prepare your home for the Winter, so you can enjoy the warmth.
There are lots of ways to help prepare your home for the colder months to stop those pesky cold droughts from sneaking into your home.
1 — Prepare your windows and doors
Windows are the biggest factor for heat loss in the home, in fact, did you know up to 40% of the heat escaping comes from your windows? Inspect your windows to make sure there are no holes or gaps, and fill using the appropriate filler in small any holes found.
While filling in gaps can be a great way to reduce heat loss in the home, it’s also a wise idea to insulate your windows to the best of your ability. Thick, heavy and well-made window dressings restrict the flow of any cold air by acting as a thick barrier from the window to your space. Doubling up on your window dressings with a blind and a curtain will help further the insulation and reduce the need for heating. Let's point out the obvious fact that they look absolutely stunning in your windows too!
SPC Roller Blinds are a great cheaper alternative to Roman Blinds and Curtains, aka Thermal Roller Blinds are coated with solar protection. The innovative solar protective coating contained in this popular range helps to maintain a comfortable temperature within the room by reflecting the sun's heat, and builds a thermal barrier to insulate your windows while making your home more energy efficient throughout the colder months.
Don’t forget to draw your curtains and close your blinds when the evening starts to set in to block out the cold, make sure all your windows and closed and light some candles to create a cosy space and maximise warmth.
2 — Set your heating on a timer
Having your heating on a timer is a great way to eliminate wasted energy usage and become more energy efficient. Set your timer to match your daily routine and set it to automatically turn on your heating on at specific times during the day. 10 minutes before you wake up to warm the house before you get out of bed and for the timer to turn it off when you have left for work for the day.
3 — Insulate Pipes
Pipes can be a big issue and can cost a small fortune if anything goes wrong with them, which is more likely during the winter months. Pipe insulators can be found on Amazon for a great price and prevent frozen pipes, which is a common occurrence during the colder seasons.
4 — Clean Your Gutters
Gutters take the brunt of year-round weather while draining the water from the roof, and often get overlooked when it comes to maintenance around the house. Unintentionally collecting the rubbish and leaves blowing in the wind, gutters can become clogged and cause dampness and mould, so it’s a great idea to check and clear any blockages before the cold weather sets in.
5 — Soft Furnishings
In addition to adding Roman Blinds and curtains to your windows to create that cosy space, adding extra soft furnishings to your space will help create an opulent decor while helping to warm the room up. Adding thick knit blankets and soft cushions will immediately add warmth to your space, if you’re looking for something to really give that wow factor then you can opt for matching cushions to your window dressings on our website.
If you have hard flooring like wood or tiles, opting for a rug will land your feet on a soft, warm surface rather than cold tiles in the morning.
6 — Recycle Your Heat
Please note: this tip is only for households without children or pets!
Once you have finished cooking, it’s a great idea to utilise the warm air from the oven, you can do this by leaving your own door open to recycle the warm air, but make sure you do this safely and responsibly without any children or pets around.
7 — Shelving
Control the heat coming from your radiators by fitting a shelf above. This will help deflect the heat around the room and stop it from rising to the ceiling and being wasted. While coming with the added benefit of extra storage and style, who doesn’t love that?
8 — Door Sweeps Or Draught Excluders
If you have a big gap between the bottom of your door and your flooring, that is an opportunity for heat to escape, have a look at installing a door sweep or draught excluder to keep the warm air in. These can be found on Amazon and will help assist in saving on that dreaded energy bill.
9 — Clear Your Radiators
If you tend to dry your clothes on the radiators, be mindful that having crowded radiators will stop the warm air from circulating throughout your home. It’s a great idea to clear your radiators as soon as your clothes are dry.
10 — Insulating Your Walls
A genius idea, use tin foil or wall insulation to pop behind your radiator, this will ensure all your heat isn’t wasted by soaking into the wall but bounces back to heat your space and leave you feeling warm and toasty!
Follow these great tips, and you’ll be ready for the colder months without adding an extra £££ onto your energy bill every month. We would love to see how you're saving money on your energy bills too. Follow us over on Instagram and Facebook for more top tips, and we’ve even got some great competition prizes to be won too!