We are well into the coldest part of the year in the northern hemisphere, while our cousins down under are basking in the summer sun! It’s only natural that you want to keep the cold out of your home and the warmth snugly inside. So, here are some handy suggestions for doing just that.
Replace Old Insulation
Okay, so anyone will always bring up insulation first, and there are very good reasons for this. Insulation traps warm air and blocks cold air. The main places where you have insulation in the home are the attic, walls, and sometimes the basement. However, it doesn’t last forever and needs replacing every now and then. If your loft insulation is flat and not fluffy and warm, insulation companies are your best option for installing modern and more efficient materials.
Buy Double-Glazed Windows
This is a heavy investment, but one that pays off big time. If your windows are old and single-paned, you will potentially lose almost all the heat in a room. Double-glazed windows act similarly to insulation, preventing warm air from escaping. This means you don’t need to use the heating as much, making your home much more energy efficient. But it also means the room heats up quicker and more heat is kept inside so you can snuggle up and get even cosier.
Keep the Cold Out with Warm Pipes
No one really thinks about this, but the pipes in your home play a vital role in heating. The pipes connected to the boiler can take a lot of time to warm up from a cold start. Also, a typical boiler gets 2% less efficient each year, which causes problems with the radiators. So, just by being inefficient and cold, your boiler could be costing more and taking longer to warm the home. Pipe insulation reduces the work the system has to do and potentially heats your home faster.
Draft-Proof the House
Drafts are warmth killers in most homes! Just one draft in one room can make it feel icy all the time. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to find and rectify drafts. One trick is to go around doors and windows with a candle. If the flame flickers in a certain spot, there is probably a draft. It could be a hole or a horizontal or vertical cavity. For doors, draft excluders work in most cases. However, you can also buy weather stripping that can seal the cavities around doors and window drafts.
Consider Solar Panels
This one is out of reach for some people as it relies on a few things. Solar panels have the potential to dramatically reduce how much energy you use. That means you can use the excess to heat the home at no extra cost. Before you go thinking it’s too cold, solar panels need light, not heat! However, they also need to be positioned perfectly to work well. So, your roof needs to be at a specific angle and direction. If you need money, you can apply for installation grants.
Summary
Insulation installation (say that drunk!) will help keep the cold out as winter gets underway. Keeping the pipes warm will also help as the water is kept hotter for a quicker way to heat the home. Solar panels will save energy that you can use to provide more heat to your property.
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