The unstable weather conditions during cold and windy winter days make us increasingly crave the warmth and coziness of our personal space. Who does not desire to return to a warm house after a long day at work? For sure, when we talk about warmth, we do not imply spending our wages on heating costs. It is true that heating is the greatest concern of a household during winter. Yet, let’s not miss the forest for the trees. Instead of getting overly stressed and panicked every time we face the heating bills, it is better to make some improvements that will keep our home warm and cozy without having to spend a fortune!
Money-saving tips
If we wish to prevent the cold from invading our home and limit heat leaks as much as possible, thus saving money, it is essential to follow the simple, yet very useful tips listed below.
Choose the right curtains: We should not forget that the sun is the greatest source of heat. Known for our sunny weather, we enjoy more than 250 days of sunshine a year in Greece, thus in the morning, we open the curtains, allowing sunlight to enter and warm all rooms. Conversely, when the night falls, we should close the curtains to create a form of insulation, keeping the rooms warm.
Lay down carpets: Apart from making our house look beautiful, rugs act as thermal insulators, preserving warmth. In fact, it is estimated that about 10% of the heat is lost through the floor, so we cover all the rooms in the house with the rugs of our choice.
Use a dehumidifier: Humidity is one of the main reasons why we feel cold inside the buildings. Therefore, it is a good idea investing in a quality dehumidifier and placing it in the rooms of our choice (e.g., those with the highest humidity or frequently used rooms).
“Free up” the heat sources: Though our favorite place in the house is that armchair we have placed right next to the radiator, yet all furniture or bulky objects we usually place next to our radiators absorb a large percentage of heat and do not allow the house to warm up.
Maximize home insulation: As previously mentioned, around 10% of the heat is lost through the floor, while nearly 25% escapes through the ceiling. Therefore, to achieve significant energy and money savings, we should better insulate the roof, thus making our house warmer. Furthermore, it is also worthwhile checking the insulation of interior walls or gaps in window frames using the following simple method: Check properly, identify leaks, insulate the spots!
“Seal” the fireplace: If we have a fireplace in our house and do not wish to light it, we should aim to seal its chimney for two reasons: to prevent cold from entering the house as well as to prevent heat from leaking out.
Prefer winter fabrics: We invest in winter fabrics, warm, woolen throws, and bedding. At the same time, we prefer “heavier” bedding, such as velour blankets, quilts and duvet covers. For sure, if we wish, we can use electric blankets on beds and decide for how long we wish to turn them on.
Place timers on central heating: A really useful and with no doubt money-saving tip. Instead of keeping the radiator on all day (unnecessarily expensive) or having it forced off (as we are away from home for most hours), thus returning to a cold house, we should definitely try the lifesaving solution of a timer.
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