Winter Warming Tips

Summer has once again passed, and we’re excited for the breath of fresh (cold!) air that comes with the Autumn and Winter months. Though as we know, the novelty of cosying up can wear off quickly, having to battle cold floors and a cold home – not to mention the October energy price cap we’re having to deal with in the UK.

Now, we’re faced with two paths… Do we maintain business as usual, paying higher than ordinary bills – or take steps to increase the energy efficiency of our homes to keep our fingers off the thermostat? I don’t know about you, but we’re leaning toward the latter!

Here are some energy-saving tips we’ve learned along the way at Runrug for you to apply to your home and enjoy a cosy Winter.

Leave The Oven Door Open

After you’ve finished cooking, there’s no sense in letting the heat produced by the oven go to waste. Leave the oven door open, and let the heat spill out into your kitchen after turning your oven off!

Important: NEVER leave the door open whilst the oven is on. This is extremely dangerous!

Use A Rug Or Runner

Alongside oozing aesthetic value, rugs and runners are renowned for keeping your feet warm, putting a cosy barrier between you and the cold floor. It’s a win-win!

It’s no secret that laminate flooring and tiles can get particularly cold through the winter, and no bed sock quite cuts it! To put a welcomed layer between you and your hallway, stairs, or kitchen floor; we recommend a wool runner, which has better insulative properties than alternative materials – and just feels that extra bit cosier.  

Ensure Draughts Are Fixed

Don’t let draughts around windows or doors go unattended. If you’re losing heat around your windows and doors, chances are they’ll just need re-sealing, which is a quick, easy, and DIY-friendly fix. Whilst talking about doors…

Letter Boxes & Pet Doors

Whilst useful, it’s important to remember that your letter box and pet doors are another route for heat to escape. Ensure you have air-restricting brushes installed on both!  

Furniture Placement

Ensure your furniture isn’t pushed up against your radiators. This will trap heat behind the furniture, not warming the room as efficiently – meaning you leave your heating on for longer, and feel even less benefit!

Use the sun to your advantage

Let’s face it, Britain isn’t known for its sunny Winter days. But, when the sun is out – make sure you use it to your advantage! Opening your blinds and curtains during daylight hours will contribute to warming your home, whilst closing them before the sun goes down helps prevent the heat from being drawn back outside.

A bigger job, with a bigger impact

Now if you’re up for a bigger challenge, you will certainly reap the rewards. If your loft insulation isn’t quite up to scratch, you could be losing a lot of heat through your roof!

Re-insulating and boarding your loft is a fantastic way to improve the energy efficiency of your home, whilst creating useful extra storage (for all those Christmas decorations!).