Best Ways to Prepare for the Chilly Winter Months
The United Kingdom is one of the few countries that have the best of both worlds, as its climate is relatively temperate. In general, we’re in the grey area–since it’s not too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer. Well, that’s what science says anyway. So far, what we’ve been getting here are scorching summers and freezing winters!
It’s been a problem for the English, thus far, to heat their homes during the winter months. With the UK temperature being all kinds of indecisive, it may be challenging to ensure that a home stays warm when it’s supposed to. Nevertheless, there are some great ways to heat your home more efficiently and effectively.
1. Baseboard heating
Be it in the busy streets of the capital, London, or the humble but famous lands of Wimbledon, the flooring of any home makes a lot of difference. Most homes in the UK have baseboard heaters, but this could potentially account for 50% of the monthly electric bill. Nevertheless, some tricks may be effective in mitigating any spikes in electricity usage. This includes simple things like turning off the baseboard heating in unused rooms, keeping them at ideal temperatures–not too hot–and ensuring they’re kept clean.
2. Insulation
This will always be an essential factor. Good loft insulation helps retain heat and keep energy bills under control; and often, insulation helps maintain pipes to stop them from freezing and bursting in sub-zero temperature.s winter isn’t all about keeping your body warm, the internal workings of any house remains an important fact as well.
3. Chimney-sweeping
No, this won’t be for Father Christmas! If your home has a wood-burning stove or open fireplace, keeping the fire going will be an excellent opportunity to minimize electric bills while still heating a significant space of the house. Usually, late autumn is one of the best times to book a chimney-sweep.
4. Gutter-cleaning
This is an indirect way to ensure more heat during chilly months but works just as effectively as other techniques. Fallen leaves and other debris, especially during autumn, can quickly accumulate in gutters. In just a short amount of time, this can block a downpipe and cause real damage to the internal ecosystem of a house–thus possible causing flooding, especially during sharp bouts of snow and rain.
While temperatures verge on below-freezing weather, many would turn to the haven of their thermostats. There’s nothing better than toasty and snug homes during the chilly months, after all. But the debate about the best and least expensive way to heat a whole house has been debated by all households in the UK.
While some of the tips listed here are indeed economical, others may have found whatever way that works for them. Some keep their heating on all day, and some save pennies turning it on or off multiple times in a day. Specialists have argued, though, that turning the switch more than once can cause condensation to collect within the walls, which in turn can mean your house will leak heat more quickly.
Some just make sure to keep thermostats to the low setting, while others rely on their heated floorings to keep them warm and cosy. Nevertheless, it will always be best to find whatever works best for your house, since, after all, every home is unique.
