There are several things that you can do to keep your home warm this winter. You can prevent those unwanted draughts from making you cold and increasing the size of your energy bills. So follow the tips below and keep yourself and your home warm at winter time.
Floorboards and Skirting Boards
Draughts can come through your floorboards and your skirting boards. If the floorboards in any of your rooms are stripped then there will probably be gaps between the floorboards where the cold air could get through. Use filler that is silicone based to plug up those gaps and prevent any draughts.
When it comes to skirting boards it is likely that there will be some gaps between the tops and the bottoms of your boards. Use a good sealant here again so that you can keep any cold draughts at bay.
Check your Loft Hatch and Insulate your Doors
Loft hatches are great and very convenient but most of them do not fit perfectly and this means that cold air can get through. To overcome this you can insulate the hatch door and put draught strips around the hatch frame.
It doesn’t matter if you have old doors or new ones there is unlikely to be a perfect seal there. External doors are obviously the priority but internal doors can let in draughts as well. Use draught proofing strips for your doors and at the bottom you can get those hinged flap or brush draught excluders.
Your Windows and your Curtains
Check all of your windows to see if there are any gaps or even cracks between the frames of the windows and the walls that surround them. If there are any then use sealant to plug these gaps and cracks. For opening casements use draught proofing strips to keep out the elements.
What kind of curtains do you have in your rooms? Are they lined to keep out the cold? If you don’t have double glazed windows then your curtains are the next line of defence from the cold. If this is a problem area for your home then invest in heavy duty curtains that are thermal lined and this will make your rooms warmer.
Keyholes and Letterboxes
People rarely think about their keyholes and letterboxes being places that are susceptible to cold draughts but they certainly can be. The wind can whistle through keyholes so get yourself a keyhole cover that has a metal disc that drops to provide protection. As for your letterbox install a set of brushes or a second flap so that you keep the winter out.
Check the Pointing on your Brickwork
Take a look at all of your external walls and the state of the pointing. If any of the bricks have gaps in them then this can mean that you will have a draughty home during the winter. Repointing is not that difficult but if you are not confident get a professional in to do the job for you.
Do your Carpets have Underlay?
If you do not have the right underlay for your carpets then you could be missing out on as much as a 15% saving on your heating bills. It is an insulation layer that people often overlook and is easily rectified by investing in the right kind of underlay.
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