With all of us inside a little bit more this winter, everyone is scrambling to find ways to save money, stay warm and keep everyone happy. It can feel impossible, but with these five winter tips, we can help you save money and stay warm, that potentially keeps everyone happy.
You have probably already got some winter energy tips in place like you have had your heater serviced, and you shut your curtains midway through the afternoon to trap the heat inside. So you probably want to know what else can I do to keep my house warm?
There are five key tips to consider if you want to stay warm this winter:
- Heat the Rooms
- Identify the Gaps
- Insulate your Walls
- Care about the Degrees
- Layer Up
Heat Your Rooms
Stay warm this winter by heating your house smartly. With a split heating system, you don’t have to heat up the entire house to stay warm. You only need to heat the rooms you use the most, like your living room and the bedrooms. By heating individual rooms, your heating system can work more efficiently, so you feel warmer on those colder days.
Also if you only heat the rooms you need and keep the windows and doors closed you can trap the air in those rooms, so you don’t need to crank up the heat, saving you more money and keeping you warmer for longer.
Identify the Gaps
Stay warm by trapping the air inside. If you have shut all the doors and windows, and still feel a draft, chances are there are unsealed gaps in your house. Usually, these gaps are at the bottom of doors like your front door or your bathroom door. These gaps can cost you up to 25% of your current heating bill. But by investing in a draught stopper, it can be an easy fix. Draught stoppers are tubes filled with insulation material that you can place at the base of your doors and windows to stop the heat from escaping. Draught stoppers can be found at most department stores and can come in a range of sizes and decors to fit your homes needs.
Insulate your Walls
Stay warm for the long term. Non-insulated walls are one of the biggest issues for people trying to stay warm in winter. Insulation helps protect your home against harsher climates like our freezing winters and hot summers. An insulated house is able to trap the air in the walls to keep the rooms of your home at the preferred temperature. Insulating your walls is also a long term energy-efficient investment so you can stay warm for future winters.
Care About Your Degrees
Stay warm but save money. It is not an unknown fact that the higher the thermostat is set to the warmer your house will be and the more money you will have spent. But did you know that the most efficient temperature to heat a house is 18-20℃? 18-20℃ is the most efficient temperature because you will still feel warm at this temperature as you would if your thermostat was set to 25℃. The major difference in heating your house at a higher temperature is every degree higher than 20℃ uses 10% more energy and can cause an increase in your heating bill.
Layer Up
By wearing a few extra layers of clothing, such as a thermal jacket or a knit sweater, you will begin to feel warmer and won’t overuse your heating system this winter. By wearing an extra jumper, you are insulating yourself and using your body heat to keep warm. Others ways you can layer up include layering your walls with pictures or throwing a rug down on the hard floors. These added layers prevent the heat from escaping into the walls and floors but also add an extra layer of comfort that can make you feel warmer in your own home.
Need some heating help?
These winter tips are great for everyone that has to stay indoors this winter and wants to stay warm. But if your house is feeling unusually cold, don’t hesitate to get in contact with the heating specialist at Northwest Heating and Cooling Geelong and we can come out and service your heater. It is recommended that a heater be serviced every 2 years to ensure that it is working optimally. At Northwest, we can provide you with a detailed report on how your heating system is functioning and when to consider getting it replaced.