A money-saving guru has shared some top tips for easy ways to keep your home warm this winter without worrying about racking up huge heating costs – and they’re also renter-friendly
With more cold weather on the way, many will have no choice but to turn up their heating, leaving homeowners worried about their rising energy bills.
According to a recent study, 56 per cent of people admit they regret moving into their current home due to rocketing bills, and a quarter (24 per cent) admit they have even considered moving out to reduce their energy bills. With people feeling the pinch this winter, there are steps that can be taken to help keep the heat in, without worrying about racking up an extortionate heating bill.
Money-saving mum Gemma Bird has paired with B&Q to help people keep warm this winter – without even turning the heating on. A survey by the DIY retailer found that the majority of renters said their current home doesn’t have features such as draught proofing (79 per cent), efficient lighting (60 per cent) or double glazing (47 per cent) in their homes.
A fifth (19 per cent) have discussed making energy efficiency improvements with their landlord or letting agent, but found they were not receptive. Although making improvements to homes to make them more energy efficient can feel like a daunting task, renters and homeowners don’t need to turn to big or drastic solutions to be able to reduce their bills, they just need to get a little savvy with their DIY.
Firstly, Gemma advised people to keep the warmth inside with self-adhesive draught excluders which you can buy from B&Q for £9.97. Heat escapes through gaps in doors and windows, so these draught excluders work well to keep the cold out and keep a cosy temperature indoors without making your heating work harder and cold air coming in.
Another way to block out cold air is with a temporary curtain. By creating a thermal barrier at draughty doorways will help keep heat in the rooms where you spend most of your time. By hanging a thick curtain on an extendable pole can make a really big difference to a room’s warmth by acting as a buffer to stop cold drafts from entering.
This temporary solution can be moved from room-to-room or taken down without any damage and reused in your next home, making it ideal for renters. Finally, another top tip was to use a portable dehumidifier as it can be an efficient way to dry clothes indoors as it can help to pull moisture from the air to help the clothes dry faster – and not rely on constant heating. It will also help prevent condensation forming on windows as well as mould and mildew growing too.
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