With winter on the way, now is the time to start thinking about how eco-friendly your home is. The colder months are when the most energy is wasted because we all like to keep our homes nice and toasty. Many of us make the mistake of turning out thermostats up incredibly high as soon as the first frost arrives.

However, by doing this, we are not only wasting energy but also causing unnecessary damage to the planet. Believe it or not, there are plenty of ways we can keep our homes warm this winter, without wasting energy.

To help you ensure that you waste as little energy as possible, here are a few ideas to take note of:

Get double thick drapes

One of the worse areas in the home for letting out heat are the windows. Even if your have double glazed glass, it doesn’t mean that no heat will escape. Yes, you will lose less heat, but some will still manage to escape.

However, to prevent this from happening, as well as stopping cold air getting in, all you need is double thick drapes. If you hang curtains that are insulated and twice as thick as normal ones, you can keep your home nice and toasty without having to use extra energy.

Update your boiler

If your home has an old boiler, the chances are that you will be using a lot more energy than you need. Modern boilers are much more efficient than older models and waste a lot less energy. If you want to reduce your winter energy usage, swapping to a newer boiler is one of the best ways to do this.

When it comes to choosing a new boiler for your home, there are plenty of options to choose from. However, one of the best options is a HVAC model - a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. Instead of just being able to be used for heating, you can also use it during the summer months to keep your home cool. The best thing about this system is that because it’s a modern design, it is incredibly energy efficient.

Keep doors shut

On any rooms that aren’t regularly used , such as your guest bedroom, keep the doors shut. There is no point heating a room that isn’t being used as this wastes electricity, so it makes sense to keep the door shut.

Use draft excluders

Draft excluders might be something that your granny has, but trust us on this, they work. If you want to keep the heat in your home, placing draft excluders under each door is a good idea.

If you don’t have a draft excluder, you could always use a rolled up towel. However, with so many stylish designs on the market, it would be a shame not to get one.

Leave the oven door open

This might sound like an odd one, but hear us out. Once you have finished cooking, open the oven door to let the heat out. Don’t leave the door shut as this will waste the heat, instead let it out into your house. You might not think that simply opening the oven door will make much difference to how warm your home is, but it will do.

If you want to ensure that you are as eco-friendly as possible this winter, make sure to give these ideas a try.