From a Guest Blogger: How to Keep Your House Warm this Winter for Less
When it comes to keeping your house warm this winter, things can get costly if you’re not careful. It’s easy to just turn up the thermostat, load up the fire or switch on the heater to full power, but you won’t see the bill until winter is over and by then it will be too late. In this article we’re going to look at the different types of heating and how they vary in effectiveness as well as talk about a few tips and tricks to keep the draught out and your energy bills low.
Infrared Heaters
The modern quick heating solution of this century, infrared heaters are cheap to buy and cheap to run. The major bonus of them is that they actually heat up straight away and provide heat until you turn them off, which means you can heat your room on demand. Likewise, most of them have multiple settings and the newer options work from a thermostat, which means you can control how much heat you want them to put out with just a simple flick of the switch; something most other heating sources really can’t do.
Central Heating
Almost every house has central heating and it’s usually controlled by a thermostat on the wall or on each individual radiator. Just make sure you manage the temperature on everything to suit the rooms you use and the way you live so you’re not wasting energy. Also consider turning your radiators down a few degrees and not putting them on full power, as you might just end up turning them back down later on when you realise it’s too hot. Central heating does take a while to heat up to temperature, but once it does reach the right temperature you have the added bonus of it always being that warm (until you turn it off again or the timer goes off).
Fan Powered Heaters
A bit like the infrared heaters, fan powered heaters provide heat on demand and also have the added functionality of blowing the warm air further. However, they are the most expensive heat source you can use and really should be used sparingly if you’re looking to cut your costs and keep your house warm for less. That said, they do work well and can be used effectively to simply keep the chill out of a room quickly.
Other Ways to Cut Costs
Have a look at blocking off some rooms you don’t use by keeping the doors closed, the curtains shut tightly and maybe even hanging a thick curtain on the door to keep any draughts at bay. The same goes for your front and back door too, it’s amazing just how much heat escapes and cold air gets in from the joins.
You can also simply add another layer, wear two pairs of socks, keep your slippers on or put a thicker jumper on and snuggle up on the sofa with a nice hot chocolate while enjoying your favourite TV programme. Surely that’s what winter is all about anyway?
