Here are seven practical tips you can adopt to help you and your family stay warm while saving energy. 

1. Stop door draughts

A ‘sausage dog’ or ‘snake’ can be very useful in the cooler months of the year. Use one to cover the gap between the door and the floor. This will help to prevent cold air from coming in and hot air from escaping.

If you don’t want to invest in one, you can have a go at making one yourself. Simply stuff some tights with old clothing, rice, or cotton wool, or wrap a pool noodle in a towel.

2. Find and conquer mini-draughts

Homes are often full of mini draughts which can make a big difference to the warmth of your home. Mini draughts often come through a door’s letterbox, keyhole and a dog or cat flap. Once you’ve found the culprits, find a way to block the gaps. This may involve placing a piece of material over your cat flap or getting a keyhole cover.

3. Open the oven after cooking

After you pull your dinner out of the oven, turn the oven off and open the door. The kitchen may have a lingering smell of roast dinner but that’s not a bad thing!

4. Use your heaters and rooms strategically

Use heaters in the rooms you use regularly, rather than trying to heat your whole house. It’s a good idea to close the doors to any rooms that you’re not using to help keep the heat where you’re actually spending your time.

5. Let in any sunlight

If you’re lucky enough to have the sun streaming through your windows, make sure you keep your curtains open to soak up any heat. Just remember to close them at night to help trap the heat inside.

6. Cover your windows at night

Window coverings can make a big difference during winter nights. Heavy, lined curtains that reach below the bottom of the window frame will be particularly helpful for retaining heat in your home.

7. Get a rug down

Do you have wooden floorboards? If you do, you might be losing a lot of heat. A rug or carpet can add an extra layer of insulation and help keep your feet warm.

8. Use your blankets

Dress warmly inside and use blankets when sitting or sleeping to reduce the need for extra heating.

9. Get your gas heater serviced

Make sure you’re keeping up the services on your gas heaters to ensure they are both safe to use and are at their most effective in heating your home. Find out how to tell if your heater needs a safety check here.

Those are our simple, cost-saving tips to keep warm while saving energy this winter!