This cold snap seems to have gone on for a long time. It’s over 6 weeks since the really cold weather started and some parts of the world have experienced temperature drops (and snow) they have never experienced before.
Although we haven’t got to -16 degrees Celsius on our little island yet, it is still cold enough to make you want to turn the heating up to max, all day and all night. However, with rising inflation, fuel costs, environmental effects and everything else that is going against us at the moment, we do need to find cheaper alternatives, that may help just a little bit.
* Use draught excluders – you can get the strip type ones from a DIY store or the material “sausage” types that look decorative, are cheap and do the job.
* Stop heat escaping through external doors – as well as draught excluders hang a thick pair of curtains over door.
* If your radiator is on an external wall then put tin foil behind the radiator. This will help reflect the heat back into your room rather than disappearing through the wall. Normal kitchen foil will do the trick.
* Make sure furniture or curtains aren’t covering your radiators
* Make sure all of your water pipes are insulated. Pipe insulation is cheap as chips and really easy to install.
* Use thick curtains for your windows. If your curtains aren’t thick, you can get extra lining for them. This will make a big difference.
* Keep doors closed (including internal doors).
* If you have high ceilings, radiator shelves will help all of the heat raising to the top where it will not be of any use to anyone.
* If you have an unused chimney, make sure the flue is closed.
* Make sure all your radiators are “bled” to ensure maximum efficiency of your heating system.
* Try and “recycle” energy. Leave the oven door open when you have finished baking, and don’t drain a hot bath. Wait till it has cooled.
* Increase the number of layers you wear, even at home. Thick socks are also good.
* Pets are natural heat radiators. Take your dog to bed and cuddle up to it.
* Keep lap rugs or sleeve fleeces in your lounge. Lovely to cuddle up to whilst watching TV.
* Make sure your loft is adequately insulated.
And finally, I have recently rediscovered the power of the hot water bottle. Perfect to keep you warm day or night, cheap, and very environmentally friendly. Get hot water bottles that have a cover. They stay warm longer and stop the initial “too hot” burn that you get from ones without a cover. You can even get heat packs now that you can warm up in a microwave – perfect if you get a little cold at work!
