As the winter nights set in and the countdown to Christmas is well and truly underway, I think it’s safe to say that we’re all looking forward to the upcoming festive period. But as well as mince pies, mulled wine and chocolates galore, this time of year is also when it’s important to take steps to look after your home and ensure that you stay cosy through the chillier months ahead so below you’ll find your winter reminder of our top tips:
Turn down your heating by one degree. Turn it down in winter you might ask?! Believe it or not, turning your thermostat down by just one degree can save you up to 10% off of your energy bills and actually helps to heat your home more efficiently than at higher temperatures.
Open your curtains! OK, so we might not get much sun until the spring but any sunlight we are lucky enough to have should be taken advantage of.
Shut the doors – keep the heat inside of the rooms you are using and avoid heating empty spaces.
Keep your boiler on a timer – by using your boiler and heating regularly you can check that all is running smoothly and avoid and unexpected issues or breakdowns. Make sure you have your boiler serviced regularly too as this will increase its lifespan and help you get the most out of your heating and hot water systems.
Stop draughts – To stop any chills from draughty doors (which can be particularly common in period properties), why not add an internal curtain across them or use a draught exclude along the bottom? These can be picked up inexpensively in places like Dunelm or IKEA and only take minute to put into place.
Be aware of and avoid condensation. Condensation builds up when warm air hits a cold surface. As we breathe out a litre and a half of water just by sleeping, it is of course no wonder that we find condensation over the windows when it’s cold outside, however, if this is not managed and is left to build up this can then lead to black mould forming.
In order to minimise condensation, natural ventilation should be achieved as often as possible and this is even more important where modern double glazing systems and improved standards of draught proofing have been introduced as these result in less air movement within houses. The following points are simple but extremely effective in keeping condensation and humidity levels at a low inside of your property:
• Make sure you open your windows as much as possible and that extractor fans are used where applicable.
• It is important to clean windows and window sills regularly also (ideally with a mild bleach solution to get rid of and prevent any mould growth).
• Do not dry wet clothes on heaters – air them inside of a room with the door closed and the window open or fan on.
• Do not block ventilation! (Do not cover air vents, over fill cupboards, put furniture right up to an outside facing wall…etc)
• Do not cook or shower without having extractor fans on
• Keep window and trickle vents open – it might sound bonkers during the winter but ventilation is needed in your home to get rid of moisture, even when it’s cold.
Some useful tips here folks so make sure you get toasty warm in time for Christmas!