Top tips to help heat your home

As the colder months draw in, many of us are beginning to turn our attention to how we can make our homes warmer whilst still being conscious of saving money. 

New build homes are considerably more energy efficient compared to older homes built before the 1980s due to the increased quality in materials such as better insulation, improved glazing and increased standards for windows and doors. This means that new build homes take a shorter amount of time to reach high internal temperatures whilst also retaining the heat for longer compared to older properties.

Did you know? On average, an owner of a new build home will save around £435 on household bills each year compared to someone who lives in an older home.

Although new build homes may cost less to run overall, there are still a variety of things that we can do to make our homes extra cosy and energy efficient this season whilst saving some extra money.

Install thermal curtains

Installing a set of thermal curtains in a room is a fantastic way of not only making your home look beautiful and stylish but they also do a brilliant job of reducing your heating bill. Thermal curtains are often much thicker and heavier than a normal set of curtains which allows them to retain any current heat whilst also blocking any drafts or cold air flowing into your room.

We recommend keeping your curtains closed during the night, in the early morning and during windy spells as this is when the air is the coldest. During sunny spells, make sure to open your curtains to allow the sun to warm your home up even further. 

Rearrange your furniture

Rearranging your furniture layout can drastically change how quickly and effectively you can heat your home. Take a look at your furniture and check to see if any large pieces of furniture such as sofas, beds or sideboards are positioned in front of any radiators in each room. If a large piece of furniture such as a sofa is positioned close to a radiator, this will block any warmth from being distributed evenly into the room and could, unfortunately, take 3x longer to get your room to the desired temperature. Instead, where possible try and move any furniture at least 70cm away from any radiators so that the warmth can disperse into the room quicker.

Layer up

This year, it is time to get extra cosy. 

A huge interior design trend for Autumn/Winter 2022 is an emphasis on layering textures and textiles. Layering a variety of different throws and blankets on a bed creates extra depth to a room whilst also making the space incredibly homely and cosy.  Of course, another huge perk to layering your blankets during the colder months is that they will keep you extra warm and comfortable during the colder months. OVO Energy states that if you turn your heating down by even 1 degree, this could save you around £80 a year! (This means that you have permission to go to your favourite homeware shop and buy a variety of your favourite throws, blankets and cushions.)