10 Easy Ways To Keep Your Home Warm This Winter | HuffPost Life

How To Stay Toasty At Home This Winter (Without Cranking Up The Heating)

Georgia James— The Huffington Post UK

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Jamie Grill via Getty Images

Couple relaxing at the fireplace on winter eveningRelaxing at the fireplace on winter evening

Winter is all about hunkering down and enjoying cosy nights in. But before you reach for the heating thermostat, there are plenty of other cheap and easy ways to help keep your home toasty warm through the chilly season.

In fact, a recent YouGov survey of 2,000 British adults revealed that 40% of married couples argue about the thermostat setting on the central heating – so as well as saving energy, you could see it as saving your relationship.

From clever hacks to prevent valuable heat escaping to easy ways of stopping icy draughts from sneaking in, browse through our tips and get ready for a cosy winter.

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Easy Ways To Keep Your Home Warm

Cover Your Floorboards(01 of10)

We all know the appeal of wooden floorboards but uninsulated floors account for as much as 10% of heat loss, according to the National Energy Foundation (NEF). Rugs will help, but most importantly, use floorboard filler to plug in any cracks, holes or gaps between boards where draughts come whistling through. (credit:Dougal Waters via Getty Images)

Foil The Heat(02 of10)

Place sheets of tin foil behind your radiators to reflect the heat back into the room rather than allowing it go escape through the walls. You can buy radiator reflector foil for less than £10 from most good hardware suppliers - but even good quality kitchen foil is better than nothing. (credit:RightOne via Getty Images)

Buy A Draught Excluder(03 of10)

When it comes to keeping your hall protected from icy blasts, you can't beat the humble draught excluder. Forget the homemade variety your granny used to have (usually in the shape of a snake). The latest designs - now stocked in every self-respecting homeware store - are so chic you'll want them on display all year round. We love this beach-hut design from notonthehighstreet.com. (credit:notonthehighstreet.com)

Line Your Curtains(04 of10)

Invest in some thermal curtain linings. They are inexpensive, easy to use, and have a thermal coating to provide maximum insulation so your room stays warm in winter and cool in summer. (credit:Martin Barraud via Getty Images)

Let The Sunshine In(05 of10)

While lined curtains are your best bet for preventing heat loss through the windows, don't forget to let the sunlight (nature's free heating system) in during the day. But Age UK recommends drawing them as soon as it gets dark to stop the heat escaping and the draughts coming in. (credit:Tara Moore via Getty Images)

Use Your Timer Switch(06 of10)

Be strategic with your heating timer. Heating the house up slowly is more effective than cranking up the temperature, according to Age UK. They suggest, if it’s very cold, setting the timer to switch the heating on earlier rather than turning the thermostat up to warm your house quickly. (credit:Jeffrey Hamilton via Getty Images)

Shut Your Doors(07 of10)

The bigger the house, the harder it is to keep warm. By keeping the doors shut on all the rooms you don't use and heat, you'll block out the cold from those rooms and be left with a smaller area for the heat to circulate around. (credit:Scovad via Getty Images)

Embrace Your Radiators (08 of10)

Avoid putting large pieces of furniture, like sofas and beds, in front of your radiators as they'll simply absorb all the heat. It's also worth considering putting up a shelf above your radiator. This will help disperse the hot air, preventing it from rising directly above - and is particularly useful if you have a radiator below a window where hot air can become trapped between the glass and the curtains. (credit:kostsov via Getty Images)

Get Instant Double Glazing(09 of10)

Double glazing is one of the best ways to protect your home from the cold but it's pricey, too. If you live in an old house with the original single-glazed windows, keep out draughts with some secondary glazing film. It costs less than £10. Simply stretch it over your window frames and blast it with a hairdryer to stretch it tight. (credit:Liam Bailey via Getty Images)

Wrap Up(10 of10)

Your home will feel considerably more toasty if your body is warm - and do you really need an excuse to wear cosy layers and mainline hot drinks? Age UK suggests wearing several thin layers, rather than one thick layer, to trap warm air close to the body and recommends clothes made from wool, cotton or fleecy fabrics. (credit:NikiLitov via Getty Images)

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