7 Ways to Conserve Heat Indoors this Winter
We've all heard it by now - the winter of 2022 will hit our energy bills and it will hit hard. Frighteningly, analysts interviewed by Forbes and The Guardian had predicted a rise to at least £3000 per year for the average household's energy costs.
Financial website The Money Edit even suggested an increase of as much as 80% to the current cap of £1971. Even with government announcements limiting the bills for many to £2500 per annum in the short term, these are still frightening numbers. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do. Below, we outline our top tips to conserve heat indoors this winter, and how the costs might compare.
Top 3 Home Insulation Tips
1.Loft insulation
One of the most effective ways to conserve heat indoors is by adding insulation to your loft. According to Ideal Home, your home can lose a quarter of the heat you produce through an uninsulated or poorly insulated roof. Adding additional loft insulation to a poorly insulated loft will cost on average between £450 and £850. This means you could save about £300 in your first year of heating with a freshly insulated loft. We offer a multitude of insulation slabs, rolls, and foils for every size and budget.
Similarly, insulating cavity walls will help you retain heat, although it won't pay for itself as quickly as insulating your loft. Insulating cavity walls should cost from £475 upwards, depending on the size of your home. Where this type of insulation shines is that it adds an insulating barrier around individual rooms, keeping the heat in. Poorly insulated external cavity walls can lose as much as 35% of heat, meaning you could save as much as £1050 in energy costs.
If you don't have the budget to insulate all of your cavity walls or 'top up' your loft, you can add waterproofing and caulking or foil insulation tape to cover air leaks. You can also use this method to seal any smaller loft leaks. It must be noted that this will only work with rigid foil boards like the PIR Insulation Board that we supply.
Additional Ways to Conserve Heat
1.Thick Curtains
Add thick curtains to your windows. Proper window coverings - particularly thermal curtains fitted to your windows - can reduce heat loss in your home by up to 25%. Bearing in mind that curtains can be pricey and you'd need to draw them at dusk for the most efficient savings, this is a great option for those renting or wanting a less invasive method for conserving heat.
2.Draft Excluders
Buying cheap draft excluders for your front and back doors will save on average 10-20% on heat loss, meaning these are a great, simple option that you can add right away. This is a popular method for home insulation for renters as well.
3.Smart Thermostats
Purchase a smart thermostat. According to different smart metre suppliers, you can save between 8.4% and 31% of your energy costs by controlling your heating using a smart thermostat. While this doesn't change or increase your home insulation, it will affect how efficiently you heat your home. In other words, added home insulation and a smart thermostat may be a winning combination, if spending a bit extra right now to save in the future isn't a problem.
4.Upgrade Boiler
Upgrade your boiler. If your current boiler is an older model, a new A-rated boiler will definitely help reduce your heating bills. According to The Heating Hub, a boiler that is more than 25 years old may only be 60% efficient, while a newer model will reach as high as 94% efficiency.
And a bonus suggestion:
Stop cold drafts from your chimney by adding a chimney balloon or plug. An unused chimney will bring in excess cold air and effectively counteract all of your other home insulation. Adding a simple plug or "chimney sheep" will help.
Arguably, insulating your home professionally and adding insulating materials will save the most energy in the long run. Other changes fall more into the lifestyle category, such as adding a smart thermostat that will allow you to better control the way you heat individual rooms, thermal curtains, and draft excluders for doors. All of these together, however, could mean big savings in this upcoming winter's energy bills. This means right now might be the ideal time to insulate your loft or cavity walls and make your home cosier.
If you have any questions or would like to know just how much insulation you'll need for your home, please contact us today. Our friendly team of experts will be happy to help you conserve heat indoors this winter.
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