It’s that time of the year once again – the time you dread getting out of your warm bed in the morning. Many small apartment owners do not have a central heating unit, but that does not mean that your house cannot stay warm. Even if there’s a central heating system, you can still keep your house warm without increasing the energy bills too much and save a bit of money. Here are some of the cheapest ways to heat your house during colder weather without using central heating:
Let the Sunshine In During the Day
While it rarely gets warm during the autumn or winter season, the sun will impact your indoor temperatures more than you think, especially if your apartment has large windows. That’s why you should open your blinds and curtains on sunny days so that the sun can warm your house. Remember to close them as soon as the sun starts to set to retain the indoor heat for the night. Also, on days when the sun isn’t out, keep the curtains closed to prevent the cold air from entering. You can even invest in thermal curtains too.
Hang Thick Thermal Curtains
If your windows have gaps or are not energy efficient, having thick thermal curtains is an excellent way to keep your room warm by reducing heat loss through the windows. You can buy curtains with a thermal lining and put curtain entryway doors as well to prevent heat from escaping through the gaps.
Use Glazing Film on Your Windows
Re-glazing your windows to prevent cold air from entering your home can be quite costly. Fortunately, there’s an alternative in the form of a glazing film that any proficient DIY enthusiast can install. The glazing film can also be used on exterior doors to reduce heat loss through the doors. A decent window glazing film will come with anti-shatter glass protection, which adds an extra layer of security.
Seal the Gaps beneath Your Doors
If you have a door that opens to the outside, check beneath to ensure there is no space due to being incorrect door size. In addition to covering it with a glazing film, you could also make a draft dealer by stuffing a sock with an insulating material and then placing it in front of the door. You can also purchase a draft sealer online at an affordable price.
Use Small Area Rugs
You’d be surprised at the astonishing amount of heat that gets lost through the floor if there’s no insulation in place unless of course you have underfloor heating. Small area rugs can mitigate the heat loss while also keeping your heat warm at the same time. Rugs also retain the heat when your heating unit is running, keeping your house warm when the unit is off.
Install Solar Panels
This is not cheap, but installing solar panels may be a great option if your house gets a lot of sunshine. It will not only provide endless heating to your house, but it will also significantly reduce the energy bills in the long term. Plus, installing solar panels on your home will attract a huge tax deduction.
Invest In Warm Clothing
This is pretty self-explanatory, but you won’t need to spend hundreds on central heating if you are well wrapped up. Investing in warm clothing that will retain your body heat will do the job. This includes clothing such as ski socks, merino base layers, wool house slippers, insulated leggings, and jackets. The good thing about investing in warm clothing is that you can wear the clothes outdoors when it’s cold.
Make Your Radiators More Efficient
Another way to ensure your heating is as effective as possible is to keep your radiator performing at its optimal ability and like Easy Boiler Company states here reduce gas bills. To begin with, ensure that you are on the cheapest tariff. Secondly, bleed your radiator by releasing any trapped air at the top of the radiator to ensure that hot water fills the whole radiator to provide maximum warmth.
Finally, you could get a radiator reflector and fit it behind the thing to ensure no heat goes to waste through the external wall. A heat-reflective aluminium foil designed for this purpose can save you money. Or you could use a high-quality kitchen foil, although its reflective capability may not be as effective.
Additionally, avoid having your radiator under or behind a piece of furniture to ensure heat reaches all areas of the room.
Buy a Smart Thermostat
A programmable thermostat is a great way to heat your home by turning on the heat when at home and off when at work. A thermostat can detect minor temperature changes and heat the room accordingly. A smart thermostat learns your routine, such as when you’re home, and changes the setting when you’re away. When installing central heating systems heating engineers now usually include these as standard.
Invest In a Space Heater
Warming the whole house is costly, and you might end up wasting a lot of energy if you just use a small portion of it. Turn up the thermostat then use a space heater for the rooms where you spend most of your time in. Many space heaters are portable with wheels, so it’s possible to take it to the room you want to use.
Keep in mind that not every space heater can save your electricity bills. As a result, ensure you check to see if it’s designed with energy-saving features such as a built-in thermostat and timer. You also want to use a unit that can detect the room temperature, adjust it, or shut it off after reaching a designated limit.
Conclusion
Keeping your living space warm and comfortable during the winter months is a huge challenge and can be costly at times. With the rising cost of heating bills, it’s no surprise why many people are wondering how they can keep the house warm without central heating. Lucky for you, there are many methods available outlined in this guide. Regardless of the method you choose, there are many ways for every budget without depending on the central heating system.
With a little ingenuity and applying some of the tips outlined above, you can reduce heat loss, reduce heating bills and enjoy the cold season a little bit more.