Heat loss in homes is not something we tend to think about until the gas bill arrives, and while there are some obvious techniques to keeping a property warmer for longer there are also some tricks you may not be aware of that could help to increase your home’s efficiency.
Invest in a draught excluder
Iconically recognised as that cuddly snake or sausage dog your granny keeps by the door draught excluders may seem like an out of date home accessesory to you. Novelty gimmicks asides though this simple method of preventing heat from escaping beneath a door or allowing cold air to enter a room does work. There are a varitey of draught excluders that can be found on the high street or online of you look for them and for the price of keeping your home warmer we think they’re worth it. For some examples of draught excluders which are more 2012 see what John Lewis has to offer.
Wish Original Stewart Tartan Draught Excluder by John Lewis
Draw the curtains at night
If it’s dark outside then of course the normal thing to do is to draw the curtains. It’s worth being reminded though that as well as adding to your home’s privacy this will reduce the amount of heat loss via your windows. With this in mind it’s a good idea to spend a little more on thicker/heavy curtains which will give more insulation.
Energy efficient windows
Here’s a good fact to know – a home without double glazing can loses as much as 25% to 30% of its entire heat through its windows. This piece of information really highlights the importance of double glazing which can cut domestic heat loss by half.
It’s also worth knowing about the type of windows you have at home. Unless you’ve had the need to get a double glazing quote than you’re probably unaware that windows are rated with their own energy efficiency levels. Set by the British Fenestration Rating Council or BFRC, the quality of a window is rated from “A” to “G”. For a window to be rated as Energy Saving Recommended it needs to be at least a class “C”.
Loft and wall insulation
Cavity wall and loft insulation are essential to keep properties comfortable to live in. By making sure that both of these insulation methods are taken care of you’ll not only notice a warmer home but lower heating bills.
A house without loft insulation can lead to you wasting approximately £110 on heating bills each year. This is because homes without it lose up to 25% more heat than those that do.
If you live in an older property with cavity walls then having them insulated will keep around 33% more heat in. In the summer this will also benefit a property by helping to keep it cool. Cavity insulation helps to stop condenstation in warmer months from forming in wall spaces, this in turn will allow of a more evenly heated home so no hot spots.
Author: Laura Davis
