Keep your house warm this winter

With the cold weather closing in, it might be tempting to crank up the thermostat. However, with the average annual US energy bill costing home owners a lot, you might want to reconsider having your radiators on full blast this winter.
With energy costs hitting the country hard, we put together a list of low cost solutions to keep your house warm on a budget.

Don’t leave your floors bare
Bare floor boards might be back in fashion but your feet probably won’t thank you for this interior trend come winter. Floors account for 10% of a house heat loss if they aren’t insulated properly.
Investing in a rug for winter to cover your floor boards is an inexpensive way to trap heat in and create a warmer surface to help keep those toes toasty.
 
Tackle those drafts
Whether the chilly breeze is coming from a ventilation unit, gaps in the windowsill or an old fireplace, it is important to block up these gaps to keep warm air in and the cold air out.
There are many draft excluders on the market but an old blanket pushed in the right places provides a cheaper, makeshift solution.

Layer up
If you are dressed more appropriately for the summer sun than the cold winter weather, you only have yourself to blame if you spend your nights shivering. Layer up with a jumper, warm socks and bottoms which cover your legs.

Use your heaters effectively
If you need to turn on your heaters, make sure that you are using your heating effectively. Move any obstructions away from the heater to make sure that you aren’t stopping the heat getting to the whole room.
Lining the wall behind the radiator with tinfoil will stop heat seeping through the wall, reflecting it back into the room.

Don’t heat unused rooms
Leaving the heating on in empty cellars or a spare bedrooms is an expensive waste of energy. Before turning up the thermostat, check every room, turning off any radiators in areas of the house not in use.

Rugs add warmth and are inviting to enjoy.

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