Well, summer is long gone, and as we all get ready for the winter months, perhaps it’s time to think about the way we heat our homes. The air is getting chillier, and the rain is coming harder, and the most expensive time of year for gas and electricity is coming around once more.

So, I’ve put together some tips for you, so that you can keep your home nice and toasty, and save yourself some money at the same time. Welcome to my thrifty guide to home heating!

Insulation

Is your home well insulated? If not, then now is the time to sort things out. Most of you will probably have loft insulation, but why not think about your walls, too? The cavity between your internal and external walls can leak a lot of heat, so finding a professional insulator is a sound investment. Once you have your entire home insulated, you will lose less heat, and your utility bills will drop like a stone.

Sources of heat

Another good idea for heating your home this winter is to find alternative sources of heat. For example, if you have a water tank in your bathroom, you probably will have noticed how hot it gets when it is heating your water. So, instead of locking all that away behind a thick cupboard door, why not go for slats instead? Something like louvre doors can release all that trapped heat into your bathroom, meaning you don’t have to spend twice to warm up the same space. Sometimes, it’s the simple things that can have the biggest effects.

Have a service

How well is your heating working? The chances are that you don’t know - so call someone who does to take a look. Heating systems and air conditioning units need a lot of care and attention to work efficiently. And, if they aren’t working well, it’s going to show up on your utility bills. Heating specialists Save Home Heat recommend having a service at least once a year to make sure you are getting the most out of your system. Anything less than that, and you could be, quite literally, burning money.

Check your windows and doors

Your windows and doors are two other prime suspects for heat leaks. The smallest cracks or holes can cause your warm air to escape into the either, and they also let drafts come through, cooling down your home. Great for summer, of course.But for winter? They need to be fixed. A simple filler will do the trick, but you can also use draft excluders while you arrange for any repairs. Watch out for high-hanging doors, too. If you are trying to heat a particular room, a lot of the warmth will just float away through the gap - again, a draft excluder should do the trick.

Turn your thermostat down

Once you have all the above fixed and sorted out, you might be surprised at how much warmer your home is. Make the most of it by turning down your thermostat. You can probably shave off two or maybe three degrees, which will add up to save you a significant sum over the winter period.

Enjoy the colder weather, and stay thrifty!