subject: Preparing Your Home For Winter [print this page] There's no questioning the fact that, for most people, winter is the most expensive time of year when it comes to gas and electricity. The cold, short days make way for increased usage of lighting and heating as we strive to keep our homes warm and bright in order to stave off the dark winter days outside. And unfortunately, this tends to have an extremely negative effect on our wallets.
If you're sick of overspending on gas and electricity during winter, then it could be time to do something about it. Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do to help cut down on bills, and one of the great things about these tips is that they're sound investments for the future, meaning once you've implemented them, they'll last for a long time.
One such tip is to get your home properly insulated. Poor insulation is one of the top reasons that heat escapes during the winter months as, due to heat rising, the warm air escapes through the roof of the house and is whisked away by the cold air outside. When you think about it that way, all of the money and energy you put into trying to keep your house warm seems like a bit of a waste! So the best thing to do is to prevent the heat from escaping in the first place by installing proper insulation. And, best of all, this means that your house will be extra warm for all future winter seasons, meaning you'll never have to splash out again whilst enjoying lower gas bills.
Another easier, cheaper way of preventing heat loss is to close your curtains good and early. Heat can also escape through glass and, when your windows are at their coldest during winter, if the heat comes into contact with them it will cool down. By keeping your windows closed during and after the period you have your heating on, you reduce the amount of contact the heat can get with the windows and keep it circulating the room rather than going out the window!
Finally, give your boiler a reason to work extra hard and put some insulation around its exterior. This will act as a buffer that prevents all of that heat from escaping from the boiler itself, meaning more energy will be going into your house - which is much better than it getting trapped in a cupboard!
With electricity and gas prices draining your wallet during the winter, you could find a following the tips above make a huge difference.
