5 Affordable Ways to Keep Your House Warm During Winter

Now that the cold winter months are here, many homeowners in the UK find themselves grappling with the challenge of maintaining a warm and comfortable living space without breaking the bank. With rising energy costs, exploring cost-effective solutions for retaining heat in our homes is more important than ever. We’ll look into 5 affordable ways to keep your house warm during the winter season.

1 – Sealing Air Leaks

An efficient and budget-friendly method to maintain warmth in your house during the winter season is to address any air leaks. These cunning culprits enable the escape of valuable heated air and allow cold drafts to enter, causing your heating systems to overwork. By detecting and sealing these leaks, you can greatly enhance the energy efficiency and comfort of your home.

Identifying Common Air Leak Locations

Before addressing air leaks, it is essential to identify their location. Some frequently encountered spots for air leaks are as follows:

• Around windows and door frames
• Electrical outlets on exterior walls
• Gaps around pipes and vents
• Chimneys and fireplaces
• Attic hatches and basement rim joists

To identify these leaks, a straightforward test can be carried out on a windy day. Light a candle and move it around areas where leaks may occur. If the flame flickers, it is probable that an air leak has been detected. To resolve the issue, simply seal any air leaks with filler, silicone, or caulk.

2 – Improve the Insulation in Your Loft

Multifoil Insulation is a great inexpensive insulation option, offering a great solution for homeowners who want to optimise heat preservation. We suggest insulating our loft with the EcoPro Under Rafter Insulation Kit. This is a high-quality multifoil insulation solution made from several layers of reflective foil with wadding in between, forming a highly efficient barrier against heat loss through radiation, conduction, and convection.

Multifoil Insulation has been designed to reflect radiant heat back into the house. By utilising multiple layers of reflective foil, it can bounce back up to 95% of radiant heat, while the insulating core works to reduce heat transfer through conduction. This unique combination makes Multifoil Insulation highly efficient in maintaining a stable indoor temperature.

The Main advantages of using Multifoil Insulation are:

• High thermal efficiency
• Thin profile, which allows for maximum space in the attic
• Can be used in various applications
• Ability to resist moisture and mould
• High durability, ensuring long-term use
• Can easily fit into small cramped areas due to its flexibility

3 – Minimise Heat Loss from Your Windows

In most cases, windows are the most vulnerable part of a house’s thermal barrier, resulting in a considerable amount of heat loss in the colder months. Nevertheless, by implementing some clever DIY methods, you can greatly enhance their ability to insulate without incurring expensive replacements.

Investing in thermal curtains or thermal curtain linings into your current curtains, you can effectively increase the insulation of your windows. These specifically designed curtains usually have a layer of acrylic foam or dense material, which effectively traps air and forms a shield against the loss of heat.

Another effective and affordable method to enhance the insulation of windows is by using insulation film. This see-through film acts as an extra shield against heat loss and can be installed quickly. By implementing this easy solution, heat loss through windows can be reduced by up to 50%, resulting in a significant improvement in the warmth and energy of your home.

4 – Enhance Heat Distribution From Your Radiators

Radiators have a vital function of dispersing warmth in your house, however, they are frequently not utilized to their maximum capability. By implementing some clever DIY methods, you can greatly enhance the effectiveness of your radiators and guarantee that the heat they emit is evenly and efficiently distributed in your living area.

An easy and highly efficient method to improve the effectiveness of radiators is through the use of reflective insulation, such as the EcoTec Radiator Insulation Kit. This type of insulation functions by reflecting heat into the room that would have otherwise escaped through the walls. It has been found that up to 40% of heat can be lost through the walls. The true aluminium foil used in this insulation can reflect over 95% of radiant heat.

The performance of your radiators can be greatly affected by the following:

• Make sure that the radiators are not obstructed by furniture so that the heat can flow freely.
• To avoid trapping heat, either use shorter curtains or tuck them behind the radiators.
• You may also want to install shelves above the radiators to guide warm air into the room.
• Keep the radiators clean and free from dust to maintain their maximum heat output.
• Regularly bleed the radiators to ensure they are functioning correctly and heat up properly.

5 – Create Warm Areas

Although fully insulating a house is the best option, it may not always be possible due to financial limitations or rental contracts. Nevertheless, by concentrating on creating warm areas within your residence, you can greatly enhance the comfort in the space where you spend the majority of your time. This can be a more affordable option for many this winter.

Interior doors have a significant function in maintaining varying temperatures among different rooms. By adding insulation to these doors, it is possible to establish distinct areas of warmth in your home. The use of draught excluders is a cost-effective method of preventing cold bridging from adjacent rooms.

One effective solution for improving the comfort level of a room is to install floor insulation, such as the EcoTec Floor-Foam Insulation Kit. This will prevent cold bridging between floors of your home. Additionally laying thick rugs or carpet runners is another method to insulate the floor.

Conclusion

There are many cost-effective and efficient DIY techniques available to maintain a warm home during the cold winter season. These methods include sealing any air leaks, improving window insulation, utilising multifoil insulation, and strategically creating warm areas. These solutions are suitable for both homeowners and those who rent their homes.