Top Tips To Keep Warm This Winter
This year, much like the end of 2021 has seen our central heating systems be used more than ever, as a result of both a winter cold snap and many of us spending an increasing amount of time in our homes.
As a result, many people are wondering how to keep themselves warm and toasty without increasing their heating bills or the stress on their boiler.
Keeping yourself warm is not just a matter of comfort but health as well. Here are some top tips for keeping warm at home this winter for less.
Dress In Layers
Wrapping up warm is always important whether your central heating is on or if you are waiting for boiler fitters to arrive.
Make sure to keep yourself warm by dressing in warm layers and making sure your hands and feet are also kept warm.
Keep The Heat In
One of the biggest ways to keep your heating bill low and your home warm is to ensure your home is as draught-free as possible.
The Energy Saving Trust has several affordable measures you can take to keep your home, your boiler and yourself warm this winter, such as insulation jackets, pipe insulation and double/triple glazing.
Even smaller measures such as closing your windows and drawing your curtains can help a great deal to keep your home warm during cold nights.
Only Heat The Rooms You Are Using
Take advantage of the thermostatic valves on your radiators to ensure that you only heat the rooms you are using, which can help save you money by cutting down on unnecessary heating.
Make Sure Heat Can Circulate
If you have curtains, clothes or furniture next to radiators, make sure they moved so the heat has a better chance to circulate around the room. This can reduce the amount of heat your boiler needs to distribute to keep your home warm.
One little tip that can help in a small way to save money is to attach a reflective material such as aluminium foil onto the wall behind a radiator to reflect heat back into the room.
Warm Nourishing Food And Drinks
Keeping yourself warm also comes from within so winter is the time to bring out the warm drinks and hot, rich foods to help maintain your body heat.
Teas, coffees, hot chocolates and other hot drinks are a great way to immediately warm yourself up, with the bonus that they will also warm your hands up as well without the need for gloves.
As well as soups and stews, spicy foods such as chillies and curries will help to boost the circulation of blood around your body, helping to warm you up further and for longer.
The one drink to avoid when particularly cold is alcohol; whilst it will make you feel warmer due to its effect on your blood vessels, it draws heat away from your vital organs, which need to be kept warm more than ever during a cold snap.