Woman warming herself at home with a cup of tea

Easy and economical ways to keep your home warm

Woman warming herself at home with a cup of tea

As we head into winter, the nights (and some days) can get a little chilly. And our Sydney houses aren’t renowned for their insulation and set up to cope with the colder weather. These are things that can be fixed however, some of the more permanent solutions can be quite costly. Plus, if you’re renting, certain things are out of your control.

So, we thought we’d put together a list of easy – and economical – ways to warm your home. 

Work with the air flow, don’t work against it

It can feel lovely and cosy to sit right up against a heater when you’re cold. And it’s understandable to want to put the sofa there to give you the best seat in the house. However, this isn’t good for the air flow, and ultimately the heat in your home.

The best thing to do is give the air space to flow freely but also find ways to keep it where you need it. Shut doors to the rooms you aren’t using, keep them closed in the rooms you are. This will make sure you are feeling the benefits where you need to, as well as making sure you’re not wasting money by losing the heat you’re creating. 

Rug up

We don’t think there’s anything worse than having cold feet – or cold hands. Which is why it’s important to put a layer of protection between your feet and floor wherever you can. 

Put extra rugs down where you have space. They will help keep your foot warm and also help with the aesthetics of the room at the same time. 

Close the curtains on the outside

Curtains are a wonderful double whammy for insulation. They’ll keep you warm in the winter and cooler in the summer. That’s because most of the hot air escapes through the window, and according to this study, even insulating your walls won’t help if you don’t invest in energy-efficient windows like double glazed. But if you don’t have the budget to upgrade all your windows, the next best thing you can do is add thick curtains or blinds.

Put a seal on it

Escaping drafts can cause your heating to work overdrive which is why it’s important to seal them up where you can. And luckily, there are plenty of ways to do it which don’t involve any major work. Door snakes; sealing tape; silicon sealant or caulk; Roller door seals; PVC door strips; Brush door seals; or Auto-lift door seals to name a few. All of these can be easily added to stop any draft. 

Reverse the fan

Did you know that most household fans have a reverse cycle button. This means that you can turn back to the fan in the winter to help move the warm air. And why does this happen? Because hot air rises, and when a fan turns anti-clockwise, it helps to push the warmer air around. Ingenious and so simple.