If you are feeling the cold in your home this winter, then there can be a few reasons why. If your home is not energy efficient, then even having your heat on all day won’t make too much of a difference. Plus, having your heating on all day can cost a fortune! So how can you make your home more energy efficient? Here are a few simple ideas, that really will make a massive difference.
Check Your Windows
A lot of heat can be lost through your windows. When homes are built, radiators tend to be near to windows. So one of the first things to do is to tuck any curtains that you have behind radiators. Then the heat will stay in the room better, rather than being lost through the window. It will be even better for the heat staying in the room if you have double glazed windows too. So if you don’t already have that, it is something to be invested in straight away. You could look at somewhere like John McCarter Construction who does fiberglass windows. They are long lasting and energy efficient, so could be a good choice.
Take Advantage of the Sun
On bright winter days, it is important to take advantage of the sun outside. Though it won’t feel warm outside, it can give you warmth when you are inside. In any south facing rooms, keep the curtains or blinds open when it is a sunny day. Then you can allow the sun to heat up your room naturally.
Close Doors
It is important to close all of the doors in your home. You want to keep the main rooms warm, like the living area and bedrooms. If you leave the doors wide open, then the heat will leave the room. It will spread into the hallways which don’t need to be kept as warm. So check on this regularly and make sure the whole family are on board. If you have any missing interior doors in the home, then getting some new ones installed is a great idea. If you have some doors that have a gap at the bottom, it is a good idea to cover the gap up. When the door is closed, you could block the gap with a blanket or pillow. You could even buy a purpose built draft excluder.
Have Your Boiler Checked
If your heating system is in need of repair, then it won’t be working to the best of it’s ability. It won’t be heating the water as hot and will need more energy to make the room warm. So have a plumber look at your boiler or heating system. Most boilers need a service every few years anyway. So check how long ago your boiler last had one. It will make a big difference, and it is pretty inexpensive to have it checked.
Hope this is useful to you, and you are able to make some necessary changes to stay toasty warm this winter!
If you have and use a swimming pool in winter, also consider reduce pump speed to reduce energy use. A slower pump reduces power consumption.
A heat pump can save up to 80% in energy use compared to a gas heater. To reduce utility costs from a pool heater, turn down the heater when not in use.