If it is not the cold, it’s the wind and of course the downpouring of rain. Our homes have been battered by the weather these last few weeks.
You may have noticed it more because we are having to spend more time at home, it is also our office, our school and even our playground. And as you sit and work those chills will be ever more noticeable, and keeping your house warm gets ever more expensive. You have enough pressure on you now without heating bills that give you the sweats, so our team at Trend & Thomas have put together some great tips to keep you warm without you having to turn up that heat!
But before we start – Check out if you are able to claim Tax Relief for Working from Home/ Living at work…
Employees click here and the Self Employed click here
Back to keeping warm, Radiators
Take a look at where your furniture is positioned because if it’s in front of a radiator it could be blocking the heat from getting into the room. Even if you have to move the furniture whilst using the room, you should – yes it may not look as artistically laid out as you would like, but it’s only temporary and who’s going to know? Keeping warm is your priority, rather than having the most aesthetically pleasing space possible.
Another tip for radiators, which our very own Trend & Thomas team member brought to the table, is use a cat. Just kidding! It’s the use of floating shelves. This tip was new to us, but did you know that by placing a floating shelf over your radiator, not only does it create a very handy space, it also deflects the heat into and around your room rather than letting it float up to the ceiling?
A few Radiator Shelves we've found linked here:
The Woodford Company Radiator Shelves
Rustic Wooden Crafts Radiator Shelves
Curtains
We all know how beautifully the warmth created by natural sunlight can heat up a room, but we don’t tend to get much sunlight in these winter days. Keeping your curtains closed at night will keep the heat in, but why wait until it’s late when the sun sets a lot earlier this time of year? Keeping your curtains closed from around 3pm will ensure you make the most of your home’s natural warmth.
What kind of curtains do you have? The most effective for keeping the cold out and the heat in are thermal-lined, but if your curtains aren’t lined it could be worth having them amended.
Reduce the space
Heating every room in your home is not efficient, so think about which rooms you’re using – is there a way of heating them more cost-effectively when your heating isn’t on? There are a number of energy efficient heaters that can certainly pack a punch, and provide your home office or your temporary classroom with some glorious warmth, especially if you keep the doors closed. Why heat you whole house all day when only two rooms are being used?
The Energy Saving Trust estimates that lowering your heating by just 1 degree could save you £60 per year and reduce your carbon footprint by 310kg of carbon dioxide.
The Humble Rug and Rug Buddies
Cold floors are never pleasant and certainly not conducive with keeping your tootsies warm. It’s amazing the difference a humble rug can make. Whether you use them to add an extra layer to your carpet, or warm up section of a wooden or tiled floor, rugs can help keep the warmth in.
Or have you heard of Rug Buddies? If you don’t have underfloor heating, the innovative rug buddy can warm directly beneath your desk or homeschooling area in 20 minutes. It's also energy efficient
A medium size RugBuddy (125 x 160cm, 250 Watts) costs just 4p per hour to run
vs Typical domestic fan heater (3kWatts) costs 45p per hour left running
Oven warming
We heard this tip the other day and it is so simple yet effective. After you’ve finished cooking dinner, instead of closing the oven door whilst it’s cooling down, just leave it open. This will release the heat into your kitchen and, as a result, warm up the room. Of course, if it could cause a hazard for any little ones – whether human or pet – so you may have to re-think this one.
Steaming
Just as keeping your oven door open will help warm your kitchen, if you’re able to, leave your bathroom door open when you’re taking a shower. Any hot steam will them flow through your home, which can also help reduce dry winter air.
Letter Box Flap
An inexpensive solution to keep draughts from your front entrance, fit a letter flap draught excluder to the internal letter flap of your door.
Excluders
Did your grandparents use to have those old draught excluders around their home? You may have giggled at them back then, but we bet you are slightly envious now! There are many stylish excluders on the market and they are amazing at keeping those niggling draughts at bay.
Stay toasty this winter
As the storms rage on outside, the streams rise and the temperatures drop, you can feel snug and cosy and happy that your Hertfordshire home is keeping you warm without eating away at your pockets.
And of course if your toasty home is giving you the ‘goodbye’ vibes, then give our team a call on 01923 773 616 and we can ensure that you will be spending the warmer months celebrating in your new home.
