Winter Warmers: Home Energy Saving Best Practices

MoneySustainability
Written By Share Skipton

Keeping your home warm during the winter doesn’t have to mean exorbitant energy bills – there are savings we could all be making on day-to-day running costs.

Snowy terraced houses on a cold-to-warm gradient.

We had our first real taste of winter recently, and high energy prices have meant having to dial back the thermostat for many. By the end of these easy, practical tips though, those who used to get a Winter Fuel Payment will barely notice it’s gone. But no matter how comfortable you are, reducing excess energy consumption and bringing down demand is good for everyone.

(Reading this in the summer? You could still get an early start on preparing your home for winter, but click here to skip ahead to non-heating energy savings tips)

 

Home repairs and maintenance 🛠️

This one should be obvious: if your home isn’t kept well insulated, any heat you’re generating is quite literally going straight out the window. Or any other way it can get out: damaged walls, missing roof tiles, the gaps around poorly-fitting doors.

Without a recent home Energy Performance Certificate (ECP), what might not be obvious is which of these escape routes to tackle first, especially if a limited budget means you can’t see to them all.

Beyond easy-to-detect draughts, indoor damp or mould, and patches of roof where frost seems to dissipate unusually quickly, giving your home a scan with our thermal imaging camera will uncover heat-loss hotspots and developing problems you might never have known about otherwise. You’ll find links to tutorials on the camera’s library page, but you basically want to point it at the exterior of your house on a cool day and see where the white/yellow warm spots are, or use it inside to look for black/purple cold patches: these indicate where you’re losing the most heat. Many of the same places will also let excess heat in when you’re trying to stay cool through the summer, and anywhere water could infiltrate should be your top priority.

!! Please remember to use the thermal imager’s wrist strap, especially if you decide to take it up a ladder for a closer look at your roof. If the loft’s accessible, don’t forget you can do a scan from inside too.

Once you’ve found your problem areas, you can set about fixing them. Even if you aren’t a big DIYer, some are easy enough to sort out with very little effort.

  • Cracks, including those around door and window frames, can be patched up using a sealant gun or dab of cement. (we also have glue guns, depending on what you’re fixing) ££££

  • If large sections of wall or ceiling are to blame, find out what type of insulation they use and when they were done last, as it may need replacing or upgrading. If you plan to start this yourself, make sure you know what you’re doing then find what tools you need from us. ££££

  • Where windows and doors are letting in draughts, check the seals for signs of damage or coming loose. If seals are fine but parts have become difficult to open or look crooked, they probably just need adjusting within the frame – one of our complimentary screwdrivers might be all you need. ££££

  • Of course, if you still have any single-glazed windows or your double glazing is damaged and no longer doing its job, seriously consider having those replaced. It costs nowt to get a quote! ££££

Neglected outdoor areas can sometimes affect the integrity of your home, like when guttering starts leaking or drains become blocked. When the weather permits, check off any remaining autumn outdoor tasks.

Depending on where you live and how much you earn, government schemes might cover the cost of certain home improvements. Start with https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency, but we’ve also included direct links to local council websites at the end of this article.

 

Cozy interiors 🛋️

If you’re on top of your home maintenance or need a quick fix while you plan your repairs, these little projects could give your rooms a much-needed efficiency boost.

  • Thick curtains can make a world of difference, just make sure to get them closed as soon as the outside light begins to fade. You don’t even need to replace yours when you can simply add extra lining to existing ones. We have a few different sewing machines to choose from (each with their own video tutorial links to get you started) and there are fabric suppliers in town if you don’t have any material you could reuse. ££££

  • For rooms with bare windows, anything’s better than nothing: a blind cut down to size, or pin up an old towel or sheet. ££££

  • Curtains over doors are just as good at keeping in warmth as they are for windows, doubly so where letterboxes are involved. Speaking of letterboxes: weather stripping and draught seal tape. This stuff works wonders when used around door frames and ceiling hatches too. ££££

  • If you have a lot of space beneath your internal doors, proper draught excluders are a must. The cushioned kind also make nice sewing machine practice for beginners, since they’re easy to make and won’t really be noticeable if you happen to mess up; using the legs of old trousers will give you a head start, or use offcuts from homemade curtains so everything matches. ££££

  • Compared to hard flooring, carpet and rugs retain 12% more heat. Wallpaper is also a better insulator than paint or bare walls, some even specifically designed to block heat transfer: see our decorating Things. Fabric hangings for walls or ceilings can be a good option if you’re renting and not allowed to change anything – again with the sewing machines. ££££

There’s also a mechanical knitting machine in our collection! Perfect for anyone who likes the idea of creating their own designs but doesn’t have the patience to do it by hand: blast out a woollen blanket or hot water bottle cover in just a few minutes.

 

Second skin 🧥

While you’re getting your home sorted, don’t forget about yourself! You are your own radiator, after all.

Keeping well rested, well hydrated with a healthy diet, and exercising often can all help your body to regulate its temperature more efficiently.

Then, as you’d always hear growing up, put on a jumper! It doesn’t have to be made of expensive fleece material either, since multiple thin layers can be just as good or better at trapping body heat. Who says you can’t wear three shirts all at once?

Have we mentioned sewing machines yet?? Or you could make knitwear to your own specifications with some help from our knitting machine: extra-long scarves with pockets? A woolly hat with space for all your hair? A double-layer snood, different colours on each side? Whatever you want! They might make good Christmas presents as well.

 

Efficient heating 🔥

Okay, there’s only so much you can do before the heating needs to go on.

One last thing though: the more moisture in the air of a room, the more energy it takes to warm up. Aside from damaging windowsills and promoting mould growth, all that condensation is an early warning your heating statement’s going to be higher than it needs to be. To combat this, it’s advisable to hang clothes outside rather than drying inside, but always open window vents or run an extractor fan when you’re up to anything steamy (we’re talking cooking, cleaning or the aforementioned) – you need to strike a balance between letting warm, damp air out and cool, dry air in.

On the other hand, dehumidifiers let you keep your home dry without letting all the heat out. They cost to run and work best for individual rooms, so are better used only occasionally as a stop-gap solution.

That out of the way, one tip we see popping up often is to only heat the rooms you’re in, but others say it’s better to keep your whole house at a reasonable temperature. There’s a good article linked under ‘further reading’, but the short version is to turn down your fire and radiators to a level that’s just comfortable.

We also have a few indoor heating Things in case your boiler breaks down or you’re putting up guests in a chilly spare room:

 

Energy efficiency vs energy consumption ⚡

Whether gas or electric, some products are designed to be more efficient per unit of energy they consume. Reading an appliance’s power rating or energy performance sticker will give you a rough idea of how much it’ll cost you to run.

Did you know that energy rating stickers were updated between 2020 and 2021? Products that used to be rated A on the old scale are now equivalent to an F. The change encourages manufacturers to keep striving for better performance, and gives clearer information for consumers to base decisions on.

But this is only half the story. We’d all expect someone using their microwave three times a day to pay more for electricity than someone running the same model only once, but when thermostats, smart sensors and different modes and user behaviours come into play, it makes calculations a lot trickier.

That’s why, for real-world purposes, a power monitor can be incredibly useful: you get personalised readings to help actively trim your electricity bill and its associated carbon emissions. They’re more targeted and reliable than most provider-supplied smart meters and will show you the real energy hogs in your home, both when running and in standby mode. Online estimates put potential savings at 10%-20% to £200 per year from the insights gained, which you could re-invest into the earlier tips here for even greater future savings.

Some other factors that affect how well things operate:

  • If heating/cooling appliances aren’t kept clean, the build-up becomes extra mass to needlessly heat and cool every time – i.e. they become less efficient. When lodged in vents and filters, tangled around motorised parts, or stuck to heating elements, it can lead to malfunction, burn-out and permanent damage. And remember, just because Craven’s a soft water area doesn’t mean you’ll never get any limescale at all.
    Long story short, don’t leave things too long between wipe-downs and you’re golden.

  • Appliances with a lot of energy overhead are more efficient when used at a recommended high capacity. These include washing machines and dishwashers (a single full load is more economical than lots of smaller washes), ovens (it’s excessive to pre-heat a large oven just to cook on a single shelf, hence the popularity of compact air fryers and other kitchen alternatives) and fridges (about ¾ full is supposedly ideal, still allowing enough room for air to circulate). Public transport and community sharing schemes follow the same high-utilisation logic.  :)
    If you think you might have a lot of excess capacity, consider downsizing or look at your usage habits.

  • Conversely, there’s no point spending more on running costs than you need to. Overfilling your kettle is a common example: repeatedly boiling water you won’t use all adds up. Supermarkets and food brands have recently been trialling their freezers at -15°C instead of -18°C to save money (to the tune of 8-10%!), so it’ll be interesting to see whether this advisory goes out to the public. And how often do you cook straight from frozen? In many cases, leaving food to defrost in the fridge overnight is an easy way to cut cooking time (and energy) almost in half.
    We’ve mainly been talking about home heating of course, so not having the temperature too high is another thing.

In general, considering which items best suit your needs, conscientious use, and keeping things well maintained all equate to saving you money in the long run.

There we have it. Take note of how many units (kWh) you’re being charged for at the moment, then compare to the same period last year as you work your way through these changes – tackling the cheapest/easiest ones with the greatest payoff would be a good approach.

Most people are aware they can also save money by paying via Direct Debit and switching providers now and again - read the terms of your contract and make full use of comparison sites.

When it comes to energy companies though, there can be a lot of misleading claims and ‘creative interpretation’ of the rules about what counts as ‘green’, so do your research if you’re hoping to do right by the planet.

And you know, cutting energy consumption isn’t the only way we all can save money and help the environment. By borrowing instead of buying and sharing what we have, Share Skipton members prevent useful items from going to landfill before their time, reduce the environmental strain of manufacturing and transporting goods from scratch, and improve their communities by making all of this more accessible to those around them.
Browse our Library of Things’ contents, or see if you can help us out with something from the joint wish list.

Rather keeping going see what other passive savings you could be making? Our growing catalogue of News articles focused on sustainability and money-saving tricks should be of interest. Stay informed of future developments by scrolling down to our Newsletter sign-up and social media links below.

Or if you’ve waited long enough and would like to play a more direct part in our mission then stop by the Support Us page – a brand-new type of volunteer role has just been added!

 
Share Skipton
Previous

Launch Day Speeches from Our Volunteers and Supporters
Next

Mind Over Money: 10 Retailer Tricks to Watch Out For