Brrrr!
Autumn is officially here and despite the occasional last blast of sunshine during the day, it is chilly at night and there's a nip in the air when you get up.
Cue universal turning on of central heating by the whole Northern Hemisphere and rocketing heating bills!
But there's loads you can do to heat the house up without racheting up the thermostat, so you really can have a lovely warm home whilst saving money!
And now's the time to do it, as once the house is cold, it's much harder to get it warm again.
This is a list of low cost or no cost tips that I know from having lived in a very draughty 19th Century house, really do help!
If you're looking for more great ways to save money check out the brilliant posts shared at my weekly Empty Your Archive link party and feel free to add your own ...
Tips to Heat Your Home Whilst Saving Money
- Turn thermostat down slowly - turn down 1 degree a day until feels too cool
- Only have the heating on where you need it - turn radiators off if not going to be using a room during day, turn bedroom radiators up for just a little bit before bedtime
- Don't block radiators
- Turn radiator off in kitchen when cooking - don't need it
- Find draughty windows & doors - go round windows & doors with lit incense stick to find drafts or when dark shine a torch round door and stand on other side if can see light
- Use self-adhesive draught excluding tape, which is very cheap, on draughty windows & doors
- Make draught excluders for each of the doors - like those ones your gran use to have
- Tape clear plastic film to draughty windows that you will not need to open much
- Regularly bleed radiators
- Put a shelf above radiator to deflect heat into the room
- Put panels behind radiators to defect heat into the room
- Put a draught excluder and cover on your letter box
- Fix key holes covers to key holes
- Get thick winters curtains for (lots available second hand) & shut them as soon as it starts to get dark
- Line curtains (will make them last longer as well)
- Put up a front door curtain if you can
- Schedule heating to go off before bed so still warm when get in but not wasting heat once in - will take half an hour to cool down
- Schedule heating to go off before leave house - should be at least 30 minutes in advance
- If need to open windows for fresh air for any reason open large windows for five minutes rather than small windows for longer
- Seal with insulating foam gaps between floor boards & base (skirting) boards
If you're looking for more advice on how to save energy and money check out Cut Your Energy Bills Now from Bruce Hartley or The Home Energy Diet by Paul Scheckel
And if you're looking for more great thrifty tips follow my Pinterest board ...
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