Boost Your Energy Efficiency Using Home Decor

With the winter months nearly upon us, and with the energy cap rising to £2,500 in October, lots of us are looking for ways to help keep the heat in our homes.

Online searches for “Making a room warmer” and “Keep warm without electricity” have risen by 120%.

A great way to keep warm is to layer up with jumpers, wraps, and thick socks, however, the way you furnish your home can also help to keep rooms warmer.

Below are some tips on the right décor to use to help keep your home warm, and you may also find that you save money on your bills as well.

Curtains

Heat loss from windows is high, with 18% of heat loss occurring just from windows.

Having double glazing is a great way to stop heat from escaping, but another way to prevent our homes from losing heat is through your choice of curtains.

Swap blinds or sheer curtains for some that have a heavier material.

You want to go for wool or velvet curtains, or thick drapes that have a thermal lining. They should restrict the airflow and stop rooms from losing heat.

The right curtains can keep up to 4% more heat in than blinds. So, make sure you choose thick curtains – closing them at night can reduce heat loss by around 15%.

Draughts

If you have gaps under doors, it will be difficult to retain heat in your rooms and cold air will pass through your home.

Close doors to stop cold air from passing from room to room and buy draught excluders to cover any gaps at the bottom of your doors. You should also use draught seals and tape to cover any gaps in your window frames.  

Stopping drafts could save you around £45 per year on your energy bills.

Rugs

You lose approximately 10% of heat from your floors, and so insulating floors is another way to retain warmth in your home. Having carpet covering floorboards will reduce heat loss but it can be costly.

A cheaper fix is to add rugs, not only will they keep you warmer, but they’re also a fantastic way to make a space feel cosy, especially in the colder months.

Blankets

Adding blankets and throws into your will help to make your space feel cosy, but it’s also a cheap and practical to stay warm when you need an extra layer. Thick blankets made from wool or cotton fleece are the warmest option.

Another way to bring more heat into your home is to invest in heated blankets. The typical cost is around 5p per hour on full power, so a cheaper alternative to turning on your heating.

Unblock radiators

If you’ve given in and put your heating on, make sure nothing is blocking the heat from circulating through your rooms.

Having furniture in front of radiators will actually block the hot air from moving around your rooms properly, as items close to the heat source will take all the warmth first. Moving furniture from in front of radiators will save on average 10% of your energy bill.

If you'd like advice on preparing your home for a winter sale - read our tips blog here. 

Alternatively, get in touch with our expert team to discuss your winter sale.