With the nights drawing in and temperatures dropping, it’s that time of year where all you want to do is stay in curled up on the sofa with the heating cranked up. But to avoid worrying about your gas bill creeping up in the process, there are a few ways you can help keep your home as warm as possible, and avoid any unwanted cold drafts from sneaking in…
Insulate your loft, walls and floors
Loft: Heat rises so making sure your loft, and loft hatch, is well insulated will prevent any air that you’ve just paid to heat up from escaping your house. The recommended 270mm depth of insulation could potentially save you around £110 a year.
Walls: Did you know that around one third of all the heat from your home is lost via the walls? By insulating the walls in your house, you can reduce your heating bill by 15%.
Floors: By lifting floorboards and laying insulation, you could save around £40 a year on your annual heating bill - and it’ll help keep your feet much warmer too! As well as insulating your home, there are other, cheaper ways you can help keep your home as warm as possible.
Learn more: How home design can lower the cost of bills
Change energy supplier
Shop around and see what other energy suppliers can offer you. It’s always worth doing this as you could save yourself a decent amount of money without having to do a lot. Comparison websites like uSwitch are great for a quick and easy quote.
Window film
A much cheaper alternative to double glazing is window film. You simply measure the area of the window, clean the window, cut the film to size and lay over the glass, trim the edges and leave to dry.
Draught excluders and rugs
Drafts from outside can creep through the bottom of the door, turning your warm rooms rather chilly. Draught excluders can keep unwanted drafts out, and rugs help retain the heat, blocking any air coming up through the floor.
Curtains
Heavy duty curtains that are properly lined will insulate the room and trap any cold air coming in through the window, so that it doesn’t drift through to the rest of the room, causing a chill in the air.
Window sealant
Sealing around the edge of your windows will stop any air from coming through - you’d be surprised how easily it can pass through even the smallest of gaps.
Buying a new build could also save you money on your energy bills. On average, new homes built in England and Wales today are 65% more energy efficient than a Victorian style house of the same style.
To discuss getting a mortgage for a new build property, please get in touch with us today.
