The last thing you need in winter is a huge power bill sending chills down your spine. Here are 5 ways to warm your home without blowing the budget.
The last thing you need in winter is a huge power bill sending chills down your spine. Here are 5 ways to warm your home without blowing the budget.
Rugs, Rugs and More Rugs
Hard flooring is nice and cool under foot in summer, but there is nothing nice about floor tiles or floating floors on a winter’s morning! Insulate your floors by placing thick rugs in living rooms, hallways and bedrooms, helping to retain heat and eliminate chilly vibes. Your feet will love it! To extend the lifetime of your floor rugs, roll them up and store them during the summer months.
Soft furnishings such as Spotlight’s plush cushions and cosy throw rugs aren’t just for show, they deliver practical warmth and comfort too. Soft textures and cheerful pops of colour create visual warmth, while snuggling on the couch amidst comfy cushions under a chunky throw rug will keep you warm and shorten the time you need to run your heating.
The Importance of Window Dressings
Keep the winter cold at bay and reduce your power bills significantly by closing curtains and blinds when the heating is on. Up to 60% of your home’s ambient heat is lost through glass windows and doors, so invest in good quality curtains, blockout blinds or both to keep the cold out and the warmth in.
If you have plantation shutters, consider installing roller blinds behind them for added insulation in winter (and summer!).
Use Lighting to Your Advantage
Embrace the romantic winter vibe, cosy-up your home, and offset your heating costs with candles and lamps. Candles and lamps are inexpensive sources of light and heat, with the glow creating a visual sense of warmth and creating a cosy atmosphere while helping to keep your energy costs down.
Eliminate Draughts
Unsealed gaps like those around doors or poorly fitted windows allow a lot of cold air to blow into the home, and heat to escape. A trip to Bunnings or your local hardware store can fix that problem, where a wide range of door sealing products and draught stoppers are available for easy DIY installation.
Review Your Heating and Cooling Appliances
While there will be an initial replacement cost, it may be worth reconsidering your heating and cooling methods if you intend to say in the home for the long term. Choice advise that reverse cycle air conditioning is by far the cheapest way to heat your home.
Check out other ways Choice suggest are the best ways to heat your home cost effectively, by clicking here.
If you’re thinking of selling or buying property in Adelaide, give us a call or pop in and say hello. While it’s cold, wet and windy outside, we promise our office is warm and our coffee is always hot.
