Keep warm this winter

Winter is just around the corner, and with it comes the added pressure of keeping your home warm and dry and your power bill under control.

No one wants a miserable winter with waterfalls cascading down the windows, draughty rooms, damp and mould.

Where to start?

If you have a new home, you are probably lucky enough to have good insulation, double glazing, heating and warm carpet, so winter is pretty much sorted for you, but there are still some saving ideas that you can put into place.

If you are living in an older style home, rented accommodation or in a home being renovated then things may be a little different for you.

One thing that we all can agree on is that we want to find the most economical way to keep warm without an increase in our power bills.

Starting with the simplest of ideas like the old-fashioned door draught stopper! Cheap to make and they do what they say.

Shut the doors on un-used rooms and add self-adhesive draft stoppers on windows or doors that have gapping spaces letting in the cold.

Make sure you have your chimney cleaned and your heating system regularly serviced. Every year you need to take your electric blanket in to a servicing agent to be checked.

Don’t give the hottie or bed socks a hard time, we all know that bed socks are not a fashion statement, but they do the job, as does the hottie.

Cover all those glass windows with some type of covering as warmth knows this is a good place to escape. Fabric curtains are not cheap but check out cur tain banks or your local hospice store as there are some great finds to be found.