Top winter tips for homeowners

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As summer and autumn fade, many homeowners turn their thoughts to the winter to come. In particular, they might wonder how to keep their home well-heated without breaking the bank. They may start thinking about making improvements to reduce heat loss or how to reduce the risk of emergencies, such as frozen pipes and flooding.  

With this in mind, we share our top tips for homeowners during the winter months.  

Heating tips to cut your energy bills

If you want to reduce your energy bills during winter, there are several measures you can take. The first thing to do is to check you are on a competitive energy tariff. The second is to ensure your home is sufficiently insulated.

One consideration for many property owners is, “Is it cheaper to leave your heating on low all day, even if you’re not at home?”.

On the whole, the answer is no – it’s not cheaper, especially if you have a traditional boiler. Unless you have an extremely well-insulated home, you won’t just be heating your rooms. You’ll also be paying to lose heat to the environment when you’re not there. It’s generally cheaper to warm your home when you need it.

That said, there are some arguments for keeping your heating on ‘low and slow’. If you have a heat pump, it may be more efficient to keep it running at a low temperature. Also, if you have an older building, brick walls may release heat back into the home. Similarly, if you have excellent cavity wall and loft insulation, it may be cheaper to release a trickle of heat throughout the day.

The best way to find out which method is cheaper is to experiment - try both approaches and use meter readings to compare energy use.

It’s worth remembering that if your property is unoccupied, your insurer will normally require you to keep the heating on at a minimum temperature during winter.

Making your home warmer and more comfortable

As we’ve found from experience, there are lots of free and low-cost ways of making your home warmer and more comfortable in winter. These are our top recommendations:

• Turn down your thermostat. When you are home, try keeping your thermostat a degree or two lower than normal. Dropping it by just 1°C can reduce your heating bill by up to 10% and most people won’t notice the difference. See below for further guidance on how to set your thermostat.

• Layer up. If you’ve turned the thermostat down and it seems chilly, try wearing a jumper or an extra layer. It can make all the difference.

• Get a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats can learn your routine and help prevent you from wasting energy when you’re not in. You can also control these devices remotely using your smartphone.

• Don’t block your radiators. The space around a radiator needs to be kept clear to heat the air that circulates. Keep laundry, furniture and curtains away from them whenever possible.

• Bleed your radiators. Make sure you bleed your radiators before every winter. If they have cold spots, they’ve got air trapped inside them and aren’t working at full capacity.

• Add reflective panels behind your radiators. Foil-backed panels behind radiators can reflect heat back into a room.

• Heat the spaces you need. Radiator valves can help ensure you only heat the rooms you need to keep warm. Smart valves allow you to do this easily using your smartphone. Close doors to unused rooms to help slow down the loss of heat.

• Take advantage of sunny days. If the sun does come out, make sure your curtains are open during the day. Then close them at night to keep the additional heat in. Heavy curtains or thermal blinds are best at retaining warmth.

• Get your rugs out. If you have bare wooden or tiled floors, adding rugs can help insulate them during winter.

• Open the oven door. After using the oven, leave its door open when you’ve finished. The heat will warm your home instead of being wasted.

• Seal up your loft hatch. It’s surprising how many people insulate their attics and then fail to insulate the hatch. Glue insulation to the top side and add a draught strip around the edge to retain heat in your home.

Another aspect to consider is boiler servicing. An inefficient or badly maintained boiler can be more expensive to run and have a shorter service life. It can also be very dangerous. Make sure you get your boiler and flues serviced once a year by a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you let out a property, you also need to be aware of boiler responsibilities for landlords. If you fail to follow these rules to keep your tenants safe, you face hefty fines.

How to set your thermostat in winter

The temperature at which you should set your thermostat in winter depends on factors such as whether you’re at home, away, or asleep. The following is a rough guide to follow:

• At home in the daytime or evening. A temperature of 18–21°C is considered comfortable, but the lower you can manage the cheaper your heating bills will be. 18°C is fine for most people if they’re layered up.

• At night, when you’re sleeping. When you’re asleep, you should be comfortable at a range of 15-18°C.

• When you’re out of the house. When you’re out and about, you need to avoid heating rooms unnecessarily while making sure the house doesn’t get too cold or damp. Opt for a temperature of 12-15°C to do this.

• On holiday. If you’re away for a few days or weeks, a temperature of 10-12°C should be sufficient to prevent your pipes from freezing. Some modern boilers also have a frost protection setting you can use.

• Empty properties. If your property is unoccupied, your insurer will specify that the temperature must be left on during the winter- this can vary depending on the insurer, but is normally at least 12°C.

Heat loss: how to spot and fix the problem areas

When winter comes around, many of us turn on the heating only to find that our homes still feel chilly or draughty. The main places heat escapes from in homes are:

• Windows and doors. Badly fitting frames and letterboxes let warm air escape.

• Walls. If exterior walls are poorly insulated – or not insulated at all – then they contribute to heat loss.

• Roof and loft. Without adequate insulation, rising heat escapes through the top of your house.

• Floors. If you have poorly insulated ground floors or gaps in wooden floors, it can become draughty.

• Chimneys and fireplaces. Open fires are very popular, but they can suck warmth out of a room when not in use.

If you’re not sure where heat is being lost, it’s often easy to work it out. We recommend you try doing the following:

• Feel for draughts around doors, windows, skirting boards and loft hatches. Ideally, do this on a windy day.

• Look for cold spots on walls and ceilings. Use touch to discover where heat is leaking from or try lighting an incense stick to see if the smoke zig-zags where there’s a temperature difference.

• Check for condensation. This can show where warm, moist air is cooling quickly.

• Use a thermal camera. While expensive, you may be able to borrow one of these from your local council or energy supplier. They can show you exactly where heat is leaking from.

How you fix any problems depends on where they occur. Basic measures include sealing up gaps, adding insulation, and using heavier curtains or blinds. Draught excluders at the bottoms of doors can also make a major difference. If you don’t use your fireplace, you can seal the chimney with a special inflatable balloon.

A word of warning: don’t forget ventilation!

While sealing up gaps and improving insulation can deliver excellent results, remember that if air and moisture get trapped, they can cause damp and mould. One simple way to prevent this is to follow the ‘5-minute rule’. Open windows on opposite sides of the house for five minutes, allowing a cross-breeze to refresh the air and remove moisture.

Also, remember to try to keep sources of moisture to a minimum. If you have no option but to dry clothes indoors, do it in a ventilated room with the door closed. Keep lids on saucepans when you cook and switch on extractor fans if you have them. If you find damp is persistent, it’s worth investing in a portable dehumidifier or investigating if there is a deeper cause.

Winter safety essentials for every household

While getting your home warm is a priority, it’s worth keeping safety in mind during the winter. For this reason, remember to consider the “4 Ps”:

1. Pipes. Frozen pipes can cause huge amounts of flood damage when they thaw. Maintain a minimum temperature of 12–15°C in your home, especially when you’re away. Insulate pipes and water tanks located in lofts, garages, basements, or outdoors. Turn off outdoor taps and use insulated covers for them.

2. People. If you live with more vulnerable people, such as older adults or young children, it’s wise to keep the home a bit warmer than normal. If main rooms are at about 20-21°C, it helps reduce the risk of hypothermia or illness. Bedrooms are comfortable at 16-18°C but ensure that younger or older family members have access to extra blankets and warm sleepwear.

3. Pets. Make sure pets are kept indoors or have insulated shelters outside.

4. Plants. This is less about safety, but make sure sensitive plants are moved indoors or protected with fleece or hessian.

Other sensible precautions include protecting outdoor furniture from the elements by covering it or storing it away. Clear snow and ice from driveways and paths when necessary and use grit to reduce the likelihood of slipping. Keep your home’s entrances well-lit on dark evenings (motion sensors will ensure lights come on when you need them).

Finally, don’t forget your car. Check that your tyres are suitable for icy roads, properly inflated, and have sufficient tread. Defrost windscreens using a scraper or de-icer and don’t risk cracking the glass with hot water. And if you travel, keep essentials in the boot such as blankets, a torch, a phone charger, an ice scraper, non-perishable food and enough bottled water. For more help, see our vehicle winter-ready tips.

Importance of being prepared for winter emergencies

We recommend being prepared for winter emergencies such as flooding or power cuts. As with your car, it’s wise to put together safety kits.

As a rule of thumb, your kit should contain items that help with communication, warmth and household safety. This might include a First Aid kit, a torch, a battery-powered or wind-up radio, blankets, water, food, a power bank or phone charger, basic tools, a lighter and candles, spare keys, and a list of emergency numbers. You may want to include things like an escape ladder (if applicable), a reserve supply of important medication, a whistle, plus important documents in a waterproof/fireproof pouch – including passports, prescriptions, and insurance documents.

Stay safe this winter

Following these tips should help to keep you warm, safe and prepared during this winter. While it’s essential to have the right home insurance in case things go wrong, it’s far better to avoid having to make a claim. If you’d like to make sure you have the right cover for your home and contents, please be sure to get in touch with our expert team.