1. Use heavy curtains to stop heat escaping – Up to 40 per cent of the heat escaping from your home in winter is from uncovered windows. Heavy, lined curtains which extend below the window frame will insulate your windows and help keep the warmth in.
2. Insulation – A well-insulated house can use as much as 45% less energy for heating and cooling, which means that insulation pays for itself in cheaper bills.
3. Seal up gaps and cracks – Seal up cracks and gaps using weather stripping around doors and windows, gap filler for cracks in the walls and even a simple door snake for the bottom of the door.
4. Install pelmets on top of your windows – These are either boxes which sit cover your curtain rod or ‘invisible pelmets’ which sit above your curtain rod and butt up against the back of the curtain, and they do a great job of stopping cold air coming in to your room.
5. Watch the temperature – Heat the rooms you are using to around 20ºC in winter, a comfortable temperature for most people. And think of putting on a jumper before you try turning up the heat.
6. Close off rooms that are not in use – Furniture can’t feel the cold so why waste energy heating areas that you’re not using?
7. Let the sunshine in during the day – If you have any north facing windows, open up their curtains when it is sunny to let the sun heat up your house for you.
8. Insulate hot water pipes – Wrap external hot water pipes with simple lagging (insulating tape) to reduce the heat loss from your hot water tank to the taps, and reduce the energy needed to get your hot water.
9. If you can’t heat the room, heat yourself – If you can’t insulate your room or block draughts, it will be hard to heat the whole room, In this case you are better off sitting near the heater, so it at least keeps you warm.
10. Maintain heaters – Getting your heater serviced professionally at least every two years will keep it running more efficiently.