How to Make Your Home Warmer Without Putting the Heating On
Heating your home is exceptionally expensive. While it's not the highest it's ever been, it's still incredibly costly to heat even the smallest of homes, with thousands of people struggling during the winter period. So, it's only natural for people to think about other ways in which the home can be heated without actually putting the heating on. Here are a few things I've found to be quite effective over the last few years.
Use sunlight to your advantage
Even on chilly days, the sun that shines through your windows can be warm and pleasant. Natural warmth is a great way to feel comfortable in your home without putting the heating on. If your house is south-facing, then open curtains and blinds to allow the sunlight in. When the sun begins to travel around the house, close the curtains or blinds again as a way to retain the warmth that the sun provided.
Buy thick curtains or blinds
You might think that thin curtains or blinds are suitable. They keep the light at bay, they provide a level of protection from window draughts, and they look the part. But the thicker your curtains and blinds are, the better they'll be able to protect the room from draughts around window frames. Also, large glass windows can be naturally cold, so if you sit near them, or in front of them, then thick curtains or Roman blinds can be a great solution to protecting you and others from cold draughts.
Plug up draughts around doors & windows
If you notice or feel any draughts in and around the home, then make sure you plug those draughts up. Look around doors, windows, letter boxes and keyholes for any blows of cold air. Some of the things you can do or use to plug up draughts include:
- Using draught excluders
- Adding self-adhesive weatherstripping around window and door frames
- Fixing brushes to letterbox openings
- Fitting door and window seals where gaps are present
Add rugs to hard floors
Hard floors, especially if they're made from porcelain or ceramic tiles, can make any room or house cold. Adding thick rugs to hard floors, whether wood or stone, can help to keep draughts down and adds another layer of insulation to protect your feet from the cold. Wearing slippers is also another good and effective alternative.
Layer with soft furnishings
Soft furnishings help to keep you warm without putting the heating on. Throws, blankets and cushions are all ideal for adding extra layers when you're on the sofa, in bed or working in your home office. I have a blanket in every room, just in case I feel a bit of a chill. This means I don't have to put the heating on to feel warm and cosy.
Close doors behind you
Closing doors will help to keep cold draughts out of a room. You may notice that hallways, landings and utility rooms feel colder than the rest of the house, so shutting the cold out of those cold rooms will help to keep other rooms in the house warm. It also prevents warmth from escaping certain rooms if you've managed to get them to a comfortable temperature.
Make the most of what your kitchen has to offer
You might not think that your kitchen has much to offer by way of heat, but cooking can warm the house through without putting the heating on. Whether heating food up on the hob, using the air fryer or putting the oven on, it all oozes residual heat that can be utilised when the weather gets colder. Something I like to do is leave the oven door open after I've cooked. You've paid for that heat, so why not use it in more ways than one?
Give a hot water bottle a try
I'm a huge advocate of using a hot water bottle when the weather turns. They're super effective at providing instant warmth, so you won't have to wait for the heating to get up to temperature. It's also super relaxing, so you can enjoy it curled up on the sofa or when getting ready for bed.
Keep moving
Sitting for long periods of time can make you feel colder. Getting up regularly to walk, stretch, vacuum, load the dishwasher or doing an at-home workout will make you feel warmer without putting the heating on.
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post and that you found it useful. Let me know in the comments below how you like to warm your home through without putting the heating on and I'll see you all again soon with some brand new content!
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