The temperature is starting to drop and winter is just around the corner. Now is the perfect time to make some small changes around your home to retain warmth, cutting your heating bills over the next few months.
1. Cut back
While plants near windows offer fantastic shade protection from the sun and heat in summer, they're not so great in winter. To maximise the sun and heat getting into your home through the windows, prune back any plants that block the sunlight.
2. Hello sunshine
How many times do you drive past homes on sunny days in winter and see them all closed up? It’s very simple, but remembering to open up blinds on sunny winter days can really help warm up your home. And it’s FREE!
3. All dressed up
Single pane windows are fantastic conductors of heat and, left uncovered at night, spend the evening transferring your home's warmth out into the cool air – which is not so fantastic.
Thick curtains, honeycomb blinds, or a snug-fitting roman blinds with curtains are good options for retaining the warmth in winter.
4. Fans work in winter too!
Many people think ceiling fans are just for hot weather, but most are great for winter too (that is, if they have a winter switch). Putting them in winter mode makes them run backwards. Set them on their lowest speed and they will direct the warm air across the ceilings back down to where you are. This will help you to feel a couple of degrees warmer and can also eliminate condensation on windows by drying them out.
5. Time to seal up
Draught-proofing your house is one of the cheapest and most effective things you can do to cut down your heating bill. Most hardware stores have an array of door and window seals on offer. Consider draught-sealing and closing doors to rooms that you don't use all the time, and are happy to leave unheated.
6. Thermostat control
For most people 22 degrees is a comfortable temperature to set the air conditioning. Some people are comfortable at 18-21 degrees. It's worth keeping in mind that every degree warmer you heat your home adds about 10 per cent to your heating bills.
