Winter is well and truly in full swing – and with cold temperatures loitering and energy prices worsening, it’s understandable that many people are beginning to wonder what the best ways to effectively heat their homes are this winter.
Well, in this guide we’ve outlined the best ways to effectively – and efficiently – heat your home during this chilly winter period. Read on and we’ll discuss which ways are the best for you and your home.
Install a heat pump in your home
One way to heat your home this winter is by installing air & ground source heat pumps in your home.
When looking at more renewable energy choices to heat or power your home, air-source heat pumps are without a doubt an excellent choice. Affixed to the exterior of your house or building, air source heat pumps absorb heat from the outside air and use your central heating system to convert that air into heating and hot water.
Not only are air or ground-source heat pumps a great form of renewable energy, but they are also fantastic for lowering your heating and energy bills each month, making them a cost-effective solution.
Since no ground must be dug up for installation, air-source heat pumps are simpler and quicker to install than ground-source heat pumps. Even though these two types of heat pumps operate similarly, their installations and specifications differ. That said, they each have energy-saving benefits that can enable you to reduce energy bills and effectively heat your home this winter.
Draught-proof your windows and home
Heat can escape your home through closed windows, and draughts can enter a home through an improperly sealed window frame. So, even when your windows are closed, heat can still escape through them. For this reason, it’s wise to draught-proof your windows.
Filling in the gaps around windows and doors can help you save on your heating bills, so spending a few pounds on a solution such as an insulating tape or window draught excluder would be a fantastic solution for keeping your home heated and warm in winter. You could also consider draught-proofing your doors to ensure less heat escapes your home via those too. You want to look for any cracks around windows and doors and seal them off with an adequate sealant or tape to completely draught-proof your home.
Get your boiler checked and serviced
The key to a heated home is through your boiler – be it for heated water or heating in general. And of course, it’s important that your boiler is serviced regularly so that there are no issues with it that could be affecting your home.
Alternatively, since modern boilers are more efficient than older ones, it could be worthwhile considering replacing your boiler with a new one if it’s relatively old. That said, getting your boiler serviced should be the first step you take when considering how much your boiler could be affecting how your home is heated in winter.
Consider loft insulation
Insulation essentially warms your home by trapping air and acting as a blanket around your walls and other areas of your home. The most common choices for lofts are mineral wool or fibreglass.
Your home will stay warmer if you insulate the joists of your loft, but the roof area above will become cooler simultaneously. You may need to insulate the pipes and water tanks in the loft area since they may freeze more frequently. The main thing that loft insulation achieves is reducing heat loss significantly. By insulating your loft, you could reduce your energy costs and heat loss by up to 50%.
Pipe lagging in winter
When winter rolls around, we can expect freezing temperatures, and homeowners can anticipate freezing pipes – that’s why pipe lagging is an excellent solution. Lagging is essentially the process of covering your water pipes in insulation to prevent them from freezing.
Any water pipes that are exposed to cold temperatures, such as those outside or in lofts, should be insulated with pipe lagging. Use some scissors to trim the lagging to the proper length after measuring the length that you want. Make sure the seams are joined when you fit the lagging over the pipes.
The Met Office advises that you keep your home at a temperature of at least 18 °C in winter, so ensure that you aim to keep your home above this temperature. Even with the snuggest set of pyjamas on, it is best to keep this temperature – or above – throughout winter.
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