How to keep your home warm in winter

In winter the temperatures drop and it is pleasant to live in a warm home.

There are a few things we can do to keep our home warm, save on heating energy and, therefore, be good for the environment.

1. The oven
When we get into the kitchen to prepare something good, we can also use the opportunity to heat the house.
If we use the oven, in fact, all we have to do is leave the door open when we have finished preparing the dish. This is enough to heat the whole room.

2. Curtains
Using curtains wisely is very useful.
During the day it is better to open them, so as to let in as much light (and solar heat) as possible.
After sunset, however, it is better to close them. Closed blinds will form a barrier against the cold outside at night.
The same applies to shutters and blinds.

3. Carpets
As well as furnishing your home, carpets are an excellent way of preventing heat loss.
If there is no underfloor heating, the use of carpets will help to keep rooms warmer.

4. Radiators
It is good practice not to place objects and cloths in front of the radiators. The warm air must be able to circulate well in the room. Objects that can obstruct the circulation of hot air prevent the house from being warm and increase waste. Resist the temptation to put the clothesline in front of the radiator or place your favourite armchair in front of the radiator: the whole house will thank you!

5. The programmable thermostat
With a programmable thermostat you can save up to 10% per year on heating costs. Simply program it according to your needs. Turning on the heating half an hour before getting up and half an hour before coming home will allow us to have a warm house when we need it, without unnecessary waste.

6. Thermostatic valves
Thermostatic valves have been mandatory since 2017 for homes with central heating. However, they are also useful for those with independent heating.
Thanks to these valves, it is possible to have a different temperature for each room in the house, depending on the use we make of it (the bedroom, for example, should be cooler to sleep better).
There are also programmable thermostatic valves on the market, which are very convenient.

7. Closing the fireplace
The wood-burning fireplace makes the whole room warm and cosy.
On cold winter evenings it is pleasant to sit in front of the flame. However, before you go to sleep, remember to lower the glass and close the door of the fireplace. This will prevent the hot air that has formed in the house from being sucked in and dispersed through the chimney.

8. Spirits
Heating a drafty house is practically useless.
We try to identify all the draughts (it is enough to bring the flame of a candle or a lighter close to the edges of the windows: if it moves visibly, we have a draft). In this case it would be better to apply a sealant around the window. There are various types available on the market, which are easy to apply and inexpensive. A small expense for an important result.
To combat draughts you can also create a barrier at the lower edge of windows and under doors with fabric draught excluders.

9. Insulation and maintenance
In order to live in a warm house, it is advisable to carry out some interventions which, although not all of them are cheap, allow you to make significant savings on your energy bills.
First of all, remember to maintain your heating system regularly. If you are careful to do this, you will get more performance from your system with considerable savings at the end of the year.
For a small fee it is possible to fit a heat reflecting panel between the wall and the radiator. This will allow the heat not to be dispersed in the wall, but to spread throughout the house.
It is also important to insulate the house properly. Having an insulated roof means that 25% of the heat produced is not lost (which means savings). This is not insignificant.

10. Small gestures

Sometimes small gestures are enough to keep you warm.

For example, dressing properly is essential. Wool and all fabrics that maintain body heat are welcome!

We put warm blankets, duvets and flannel sheets on the bed. The body will be warm and we will have no problem lowering the temperature in the room by a few degrees, which will enhance the quality of our sleep.

Drinking hot drinks can raise the temperature by up to 2 degrees. Tea, herbal teas, decoctions... We just have to choose which flavour we like best.

And if we are really cold, we have two options: exercise or clutching a hot water bottle. I prefer the hot water bottle...