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Get rid of draughts -

A good first step when it comes to keeping your home warm is to get rid of draughts. If you have gaps between your doors and the floor, try filling them with an excluder.

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Get rid of draughts -

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a draught excluder–a stuffed pair of jeans with the ends sewn together will do the job perfectly.

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Use a draft excluder -

You may also find that you have draughts coming through your windows. To check, hold a candle up to the edge of the window, and see if the flame flickers.

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Use a draught excluder -

You can minimize the draught coming through a window by simply applying an excluder strip to the frame. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

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Fill gaps with caulk -

You may prefer to use caulk to fill in the gaps that cause draughts. Caulk is a product that you buy as a paste, and it hardens in the gaps and seals them.

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Fill gaps with caulk -

Just as with window strips, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully before using caulk to prevent draughts.

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Curtains -

In order to preserve as much heat as possible, it is also a good idea to shut the curtains in your home during the cooler parts of the day.

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Curtains -

During the day when it’s sunny, leaving the curtains open can be a good way to warm a room without having to turn on the heating.

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Close curtains -

During the night, however, it is important to close the curtains and shut the blinds. This will add another layer of insulation.

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Heat the room you're in -

If you are not using a given room in your home, it is best practice to turn off the radiators and shut the door.

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Heat the room you're in -

The heat in your home can escape into these rooms, and there is no point in heating them if no one is occupying them.

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Heat the room you're in -

By extension, it is also a good idea to shut the door of whichever room you are occupying. This will keep the heat in, especially if you make use of that new draught excluder.

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Use cooking heat -

Bear in mind that cooking creates heat, and that it is sensible to wait until you have cooked before making any decision to turn on the heating.

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Use cooking heat -

If you use the oven to make your dinner, open the oven door and leave it open for a while as it is cooling down.

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Use cooking heat -

As the oven cools, it will give off heat and help you warm your home.

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Invest in a rug -

Bearing in mind that some homes lose heat through their tiles and floorboards, you could invest in a rug to help keep some of the heat in.

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Invest in a rug -

If you (understandably) don’t want to spend a lot of money on a new rug, you could check out secondhand sites like eBay for a more affordable option.

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Check your radiators -

When it comes to your radiators, it's important to make sure they are working as efficiently as possible. If your radiator is making a funny noise, or it’s only warm in places, it may need bleeding.

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Check your radiators -

For instructions on how to bleed your radiator (releasing bubbles of trapped air), you can easily find that through an online search. Fear not: it’s not as complicated as it sounds.

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Isolate your radiators -

If you have a sofa or another piece of furniture in front of your radiator, move it away. This will allow the heat to circulate more effectively in the room.

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Use a radiator fan -

If you are unable to move whatever piece of furniture is blocking the radiator, you could consider a radiator fan. A radiator fan sits on top of the radiator and starts up when the heating goes on.

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Use a heat reflector -

A heat reflector is another good option. These are placed behind the radiator and reflect heat into the room, creating more warmth.

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Heat as you go -

Some people believe that the most effective way to heat a home is to keep the heating on at a low level all day. However, this isn’t a good option for money saving.

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Heat as you go -

It is much better to put the heating on as you need it. Set a timer for 30 minutes before you need the heating on, since this is how long it usually takes to heat up.

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Heat as you go -

If you spend a lot of time at home, for example if you work at home, take notice of the times of day that you most need the heating on. Usually, it's first thing in the morning and the evening.

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Turn down the thermostat -

Finally, to really make sure that your energy bill goes down, you could reduce the setting on your thermostat by one or two degrees.

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Turn down the thermostat -

If you follow the rest of these heat-saving tips, you may not even notice the difference, and your monthly bill could go down by as much as 10%.

Sources: (Confused.com) (Boundless)

See also: The surprising benefits of cold weather

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