Your tips to keep the house warm

bilbodreams

Hello!
Just that really, what are your tips to keep the house nice and toastie. I ve just put up a thick curtain ( bought on a a second hand shop:j) on the front door with a non drill pole and it does look and feel so cosy!.... I know that is pretty basic thing for most of the people:o but it would be very helpful if you can help with some easy tips
Pls direct me if there is a helpful link

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DomRavioli

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5122360

sweetilemon

When I switch off the oven I open the door to let out the heat. We have a kitchen come dining room. Also have candles in the living room.

maman

sweetilemon wrote: »

When I switch off the oven I open the door to let out the heat. We have a kitchen come dining room. Also have candles in the living room.

Incidentally, the heat from the oven will still go into your room without opening the door. It just takes longer:).


One thing that keeps the heat better in our home is to close the curtains. I used to open them before bed to be organised but realise that if I leave them closed overnight the house stays warmer and heats up more quickly.


And do dress yourself warmly too. I don't go as far as wearing hats and things indoors (some do) but it does annoy me when DH says he's cold and he's wearing a tee shirt!

Linda32

Yes, definitely dress for the weather which includes indoors as well as outdoors.

Thin layers are better than one thick layer. I have to keep my feet warm, which means layers. I wear trainer socks under dark tights I know that sounds a bit mad but you can't see them and it works a treat.

Our kitchen is all outside walls and single story from the back of the house. I find that it stays warmer if I leave the door open. So perhaps letting heat circulate around the home it best.

Set your heating so that it comes on before you get up and before you come home. Or to come on in the early evening.

greenbee

Deal with draughts. I've had new windows and new loft insulation, but the draughts from the doors are still making life unpleasant. As I can't afford to replace them yet (and anyway, need to wait until I do the floors) I've just ordered some external door seal (it's a rubber seal in a metal casing that you screw on to the door frame and covers the gap between door and frame). On the front door I also moved the 'escutcheon' that covers the keyhole from the outside to the inside and keep it closed. sadly can't do that on the back door.

I also have draught excluders against the bottom of the doors and an interlined curtain and a fleece curtain over the front door.

Most of my curtains are interlined - like Maman I notice the difference if they're not drawn - and I also notice which rooms have interlined and which normal lined curtains. In my last house (single-glazed crittall windows) I had blinds under all the curtains as an extra layer of insulation.

pigpen

carpets made a huge difference in here. My ex-husband wouldn't allow carpets and it was freaking freezing.. first thing I did when he left was get carpets down.. I went on a draught splatting spree and put extra curtains or think blankets at doors and windows to keep heat in.

I got loft insulation and double glazing over 4 years as I could afford.. I need another £3000 to do the last window and the front door.

There are a lot of schemes offering free loft insulation and reduced cost external insulation and solar panels.


register for warm home grant if you are eligible .. its not much but it helps.

layers are good.. I have a vest, a long sleeve thermal top a wooly jumper and my dressing gown. 2 pairs of socks and my slippers.. trousers too obviously

throws on sofas are snuggly too and you can pop them over your lap if you get cold. My heating goes off at 10pm otherwise I stay up half the night... I go to bed when I'm freezing.

oystercatcher

We have decent double glazing but I have still found that having net curtains / voiles as an extra layer and then regular lined curtains makes a difference. The extra layers help reduce the cold that still radiates from the glass.

This summer I added voiles over our back door to keep the flies out, brilliant as I like the door open when ever weather permits, I've also noticed the difference in heat loss in winter. We have dogs who are in and out of the back door which leads straight into the main living room. A layer of voile and a layer of regular curtain helps stop the icy blast every time the door is opened for a small furry person. I have the door voiles arranged with two long curtains and a central gap so we can push through easily , then I used some spare oddments to make a long third panel which just covers the gap in the middle and this has greatly reduced summer fly entry / wintery blasts without really changing the look .

Definitely close regular curtains as soon as it is dark outside and keep them closed overnight.

Double socks and wearing a vest and leggings under regular clothes helps keep me snug too. Oh and fleecy or wooly throws on the settee, I love to snuggle.

We have the central heating on twice a day but as I am home most of the day if it is extra chilly I top up with our lovely gas fire which has a thermostat so it never overheats the room and wastes energy.

happy35

I have thermal linings on my curtains as living room window is 12 foot wide so is freezing without them. I also lifted wood floors and replaced them with carpets everywhere but kitchen, bathroom and utility room and it has made a huge difference.

Also have had cavity wall and loft insulation done in the last few years and hte difference in this house warmth wise is amazing

katkin

Insulate that loft. So worth the extra expense and some areas / people can get it free or grants towards the cost. It makes a massive difference to us.

An extra (or old) duvet under your bed sheet is amazingly insulating and very cosy.

I make draught excluders "sausage dog style" for any draughty windows as well as doors. Handmade you can sew some lovely fabrics and patterns to match your d!cor. Black out roller blinds as well as curtains make a difference too.

Layers of clothes, blankets for the sofa, cosy footwear / foot-sockies and bed - jackets / cardi's are great also.

You can't beat a hot water bottle - or electric blanket!

Ladyluck1

Yes to the curtain thing. I also tuck my curtains behind the radiator where applicable.
we just generally wear more clothes