4 easy ways to warm your home cheaply

When the temperature needs to go up in our homes, we tend to head straight to the heat pump or heater. But with rising fuel, food and interest costs, many people are feeling the pinch on their pocket, so simply adding to the electricity bill isn’t possible.

Which is why we’ve put together the best ways you can passively and effectively heat your indoor space, without needing to always turn to the appliances.

Layer up

Adding layers to your interior is like putting a blanket on your home as it helps to keep in any warmth that is generated (whether naturally or by a heater). A floor rug is an ideal layer, especially dense, woollen rugs, and if you can’t afford to buy new, there are some absolute beauties to be found on Etsy, Gumtree and your local Buy Nothing page.

Another essential layer is good-quality curtains. They should be long enough to just touch the floor and adding a pelmet (a framework placed above a window/covering curtain tracks and rods) can also help with trapping the heat.

New, tailored curtains can be expensive, so again, check out your local reuse pages, or shop around to find the best deal. You could also buy an extra lining from your local curtain retailer and these are easily attachable to existing curtains.

Think passive design

Houses built with a passive design use five principles to reduce the energy required to keep the home comfortable to live in year-round. Now obviously, you’re working with the house you have, so it isn’t possible to meet those standards. But, you can use them as a starting point to work with what you’ve got.

Windows are key, so ensure they have the potential to provide you with as much sun as possible during winter. Open curtains during the day, keep the windows clean and think about pruning trees if they are blocking natural light.

Stop drafts around and under doors and windows (35% of heat loss happens through gaps in joinery). And if possible, consider double glazing.

Long term, it could be a good idea to invest in the services of an architect who could look closer at the thermal performance of your home (to optimise warmth and light) and suggest changes.

Choose energy efficient heating

Of course, some of the coldest days will require heating of some sort. So what’s key is choosing energy efficient heaters and fans. There are various types which will have different ways that they heat a space (and how quickly). Do your research based on the size of your home and your budget, and consider heating only a couple of rooms to save money.

For instant heat, fan heaters are often the first choice because they are cheap to buy – but they burn a lot of electricity too. Spending money on a more efficient heat source, such as a reverse-cycle air-conditioner, will help keep electricity costs down in the long run, particularly if you also use solar power.

Smart home habits

There’s a few other daily habits that you should integrate into your routine that will help keep your home warm and dry too. Keep moisture to a minimum by opening windows daily and ventilating the bathroom after showers (and try not to hang soaking wet washing inside too). Shut the door to rooms/spaces you aren’t using, and make sure you open curtains every morning, then close them before the sun goes down.

And don’t forget, ceiling fans come in handy during the winter too – at a low speed they can push warm air down (remember, hot air rises). Most have a little switch on the side to change the direction they turn, in summer they should be spinning counterclockwise and in winter, clockwise.

So there you have it. A few extra tips that will hopefully help keep the chill at bay and keep costs down. Thankfully here in Sydney winter doesn’t stick around for too long, but it’s never a bad idea to know the most energy efficient and inexpensive ways to lock the warmth in your Neutral Bay home.

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