5 tips for keeping your home warm this winter

As temperatures drop, we rely heavily upon central heating to keep our homes comfortable through winter. However, cranking up the heating is not the only, nor the most cost effective, solution to keeping a home warm. There are various tasks and alterations you can carry out throughout your home to help keep the heat in – here are some of the best.

1) Loft insulation

Around 25% of your home’s heat can be lost through your roof. This is a significant figure which, if reduced, can help keep the heat in your home and lower your heating bills. Installing loft insulation is an effective way to help prevent heat from escaping out of your attic. If you are a competent DIYer and you have an easy access loft, you may even be able to insulate the space yourself using mineral wool rolls. However, for the best results and materials, depend on a professional.  

2) Insulating window coverings

Approximately 10% of the thermal output from your central heating is lost through your windows. Although double glazing will somewhat reduce heat loss, the fact is that glass simply isn’t as insulating as solid walls, meaning that you will have to do more to keep your windows from cooling a room.

Well-fitted, high quality window coverings can provide a welcome extra layer of insulation for your windows. Blinds which are made of thicker, insulating fabrics – such as Roman blinds or wooden Venetian blinds – will help to effectively block heat from being lost through your glasswork. Furthermore, pleated blinds with a honeycomb structure are specifically designed to mitigate the effects of heat loss and are another good option for effective insulation. Close blinds when it gets dark to envelope the room and keep in the heat but leave them open when it’s sunny so your rooms can benefit from the natural warmth.

3) Cover your floorboards

A lot of people don’t realise that if you have poorly insulated flooring, heat can escape through it. Not only does carpeting look and feel nice, it can also make a positive difference to how well your home contains heat. However, if you have bare floorboards in your house, filling in any gaps or cracks and adding some cosy rugs can make a difference.

4) Keep out draughts

Draughts, no matter how small, can make a big difference to how warm your home feels. Making your home as airtight as possible is a sure way to keep warm air circulating within your property, rather than being lost. Draughts can come from various sources and you should inspect your home to determine where they are originating from. Rubber seals can be bought to cover cracks around windows or doorways; chimney balloons can be used to blockade unused fireplace flues; and draught excluders can be positioned at doorways to keep heat in a singular room.

5) Encase your conservatory

Due to the sheer amount of glass used in a conservatory, it is inevitable that the space’s heat loss is going to be naturally high. To keep in as much warmth as possible, allowing the space to be comfortably used all year round, it is best to invest in some high quality, insulating blinds. It is important not to forget to cover the roof windows, else heat will still have a large area to escape from. Motorised Perfect Fit blinds which fit precisely to the frames of each glass panel are a great option here as they ensure there are no gaps for air to escape through and that the blinds can still be operated with ease.

Denton Blinds offer a wide range of top quality blinds to our customers across Burton-On-Trent, Kettering, and the neighbouring areas. All of our beautiful and practical blinds will be made bespoke for your windows and can be fitted by our team of skilled professionals to guarantee a seamless fit. For further information, simply get in touch with our helpful team today.