Keeping Cozy During The Bad Blizzards

If you’re one of the many people that are suffering from the cold storms – don’t worry, it should all blow over soon (literally!) But in the meantime, you’ll want to keep as warm as you can because it’s awfully cold out there. You’ll want to ensure that you’re heating up your home the right way. This not only means warm and cosy – but energy saving as well.

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We all know that one of the biggest bills we have to pay for, is the heating. It’s bittersweet because as much as we want to feel that comforting heat reach our skin, we know how much it’s costing us! So how do we get all the benefits, without making our bank account cry?

Here are all the best tips and tricks that you need to know.

Block the drafts       

Take a walk around your house and feel around all the windows and doors. If you feel a slight draft coming from an area – cover it up. You can do this by using filler, or even having them replaced if they’re very old. But even the little things can help, like the type of curtains you have, not only on your windows but the door too. This works as an extra layer to protect you from the cold – especially depending on the material you go with, as this will help your home keep warm and save power at the same time.

Move the obstruction

A lot of people tend to put their sofa in front of the radiator because they think that they will get all the benefits of the heat that way. But this is one of the biggest mistakes that you can do. Yes, you may feel toasty, but the sofa will be obstructing all of that heat, rather than having it disperse around the room. Because of this, you may turn the heating up even higher so that it fills the room, when really all you need to do is move the sofa. Take anything you have that is blocking your source of heat out of the way so that it can do its job properly and make the room warm.

Close the doors

If you’re in a room – take the living room for example, then you should always make sure that the door is closed. If you leave it open – even just a little bit – that hot air will drain out. Think of it as filling a bowl up with water, but there’s a little hole at the bottom of it. Having said that, if you want to heat more than one area up, then leaving the door open is wise because essentially you can control where you want the heat to go, instead of having to turn up the temperature.

Layer yourself up

This sounds rather obvious, but one way to stay warm without having to spend any money – is to add on some extra layers. One important thing to remember is your feet – this is what can affect your whole body. If your feet are freezing – your body will be too, and vice versa. So make sure you have some socks snuggly on your feet – two pairs if need be. Then get a jumper on, a dressing gown, and blankets. And if you have someone else in the home that you live with – give them a cuddle!

Use timers with central heating

Rather than having to keep turning your heating on and off, set it on a timer. So in the morning, you should schedule it to come on at a low heat around thirty minutes before you wake up. Use your car as an example, it costs more money on fuel to turn your engine off and then start it all up again, than if you left it running. Just make sure you don’t leave your heating on through the night! This is why timers are great because you don’t have to worry about remembering if you’ve already set it to your schedule.

Maximize your insulation

If your home isn’t properly insulated, or it was originally, but is now rather old – you can expect to lose around twenty-five percent of your heat through the roof. One simple way to avoid this from happening is by installing insulation in your loft so that this can’t happen. It may also be a good idea to pay closer attention to the walls that are surrounding you, as heat can be lost this way too. Call up your energy supplier before you do anything else though as some companies have insulation deals that are bargains.

Make the most of daylight

Regardless of how cold it may be outside, if the sun is shining – let it in. Keep your curtains open during the sunshine, and once it begins to leave, close the curtains back up again. It’s a natural source of heat that will give you a little extra warmth. If you’re in during the day, make an effort to sit where the sun is shining – you’ll be able to feel the heat on your skin, just like if it were the summer.

The use of foil

This may sound a little strange, but it’s a trick that works wonders. All you need to do is cover a thin sheet of cardboard in foil, and then put that down the back of any radiators that you have. By doing this, it will reflect back the heat that it’s making into the room, so they not only warm up quicker, but they keep the warmth in for longer too. You can also buy this ready-made, but there’s no need when they’re so simple to make.

And there you have it – easy tricks that will give you what you need, without spending endless amounts of money. There are so many other things that we need to pay for in our day to day lives, so start making it your mission to cut down the costs. It will all be worth it in the end.