7 Sustainable Ways to Keep Your Home Warm for Winter
It’s getting to that time of year again where we start to switch on the heating, turn on the stove, or light the fire to keep your home warm for winter. Every Winter 80% of Irish residents worry about their energy bills and are trying anything and everything to keep the cost of these bills down during the colder periods of the year.
Households see an average increase of €400 over the winter months on their energy bills and even though modern built houses such as our latest development Summerfields, are much more energy-friendly, it is still a cost most households could afford to live without.
With energy prices looking set to increase in prices again, Irish households should focus on the small changes they could make to make their home more energy efficient which can save them a lot of money in the long run on their electricity bills.
The challenge to keep your home warm every year is also coming at a great cost to the environment, and it is vitally important that we take all the steps necessary to reduce the use of fuel-burning appliances. While many houses are becoming more environmentally aware, it is important that we come together to make our living habits more sustainable.
Here are our 7 sustainable methods to keep your home warmer this winter:
1. Block the draughts
A simple solution such as blocking areas of draft around the house can have a massive effect on its overall warmth. Improving the seals at the end of doors and windows is easy to install and cheap compared to what you would pay for on your bill.
2. Let the sunlight through
Even though it doesn’t feel like the sun is doing much during the limited time it is in the sky during the winter, it does help your home capture more heat. Even on those bitterly cold days, it is important to open up your curtains and blinds and let the sun do its job.
3. Buy heavier curtains
While it is important to get the sun beaming through the house, getting heavier curtains for your home will help to keep the heat in during the cold winter months. Up to 40% of heat is lost through the windows in your home and by investing in quality, heavy curtains, you can keep your home warm for winter.
4. Rearrange your furniture
Changing the layout of your furniture during the winter could be a very cost-effective method to keep your home warm this winter. Make sure that none of your furniture is blocking up the heat source in your room, whether that be a stove, radiator or anything else, and let the heat circulate.
5. Throw down a rug
The heat that is in your home can escape through the floor and cause you to keep the heating on for longer which is building up your energy bills. A quick fix to prevent this from affecting your bill would be to get a rug down and keep the heat in your home.
6. Use your ceiling fans
A common misperception of homes that have a ceiling fan is that they are just used to cool us down when the temperatures get too hot during the warmer months. Most fans have a setting to emit warm air as well which could help make that difference to keep your home warm for winter.
7. Close your doors
The majority of rooms in the home have a form of the heat source within them such as a radiator or fireplace. A simple way to keep within the walls is to make sure that you keep the doors closed and prevent the heat from escaping. When you spend extended periods of time in certain rooms it will be important that you close the doors to keep the heat in.
Ultimately it is down to every household to take the small steps necessary to reduce their energy usage. Completing small tasks such as those listed above have many benefits from keeping more money in the pocket of the homeowner, to being much more healthy for the environment.
We hope that you have enjoyed our article on 7 Sustainable ways to keep your home warm for winter. If you enjoyed this article, why not read some of our previous articles or keep up to date with our latest news on LinkedIn?
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