Expert reveals easy hacks to keep your house warm as UK online searches for ‘keep house warm’ explode to 1,042%

A recent poll, commissioned by the Liberal Democrat party, has revealed that almost one in four adults in the UK will not switch their central heating on this winter. In the same week, online searches for the term ‘keep house warm’ exploded by 1,042% in the UK.   

With this in mind, blind experts at Unbeatable Blinds reveal several hacks that can help to keep your house warm this autumn and winter. Among these hacks are switching out your regular blinds or curtains to Quick Fit blinds, bleeding your radiators, leaving the oven open after cooking, and putting foil behind your radiators. As the cost cap is set to rise to £3,600 this October, now is a great time to make some changes around your house and defend it against the cold. 

Quick Fit Blinds

Exposed windows are one of the main causes of heat loss in homes during the winter. This comes down to the fact that glass isn’t a good insulator and will allow cold air to enter your house. As the option to turn your heating up is becoming less realistic for many households across the UK, covering your windows is an essential way to reduce letting cold air in and importantly, to cut your energy bills.  

The unique honeycomb pockets of Quick Fit blinds, that feature in the cellular structure help to insulate your home in the cold winter months and act as a barrier between the room and the window surface. These innovative cells trap air inside and limit heat loss, with the side channels helping to retain heat even further as there are no gaps for cold air to enter or heat to escape out. In fact, a study conducted by Glasgow Caledonian University has concluded that whilst heavy curtains can reduce heat loss by 39%, cellular blinds were found to reduce heat loss by 60%.  

Quick Fit blinds require no drills, screws, or fuss when installing them, making them arguably more accessible than many other types of blinds. The blind itself doesn’t require a clumsy-looking looking inner frame, and they can easily be installed in minutes; you simply need to clip the blind fixings beneath the beading of the window. These blinds would make the perfect addition to a rented property as there is no fear of damaging your uPVC windows during installation.  

Leave your oven door open

After cooking a meal for your family, a great way to use the remaining heat from the oven is to leave the oven door open. The heat from inside the oven will enter the home and contribute to keeping it warm. It is worth noting that this hack will save you money on bills, only if your oven is turned off!

Bleeding your radiators

Bleeding your radiators will release air that has become trapped in your heating system. The process of doing so is straightforward, and there is the added bonus of reducing your heating bills due to increased efficiency.

You will need a radiator bleed key and a towel to catch any water leakage. Below is a step by step guide for how to bleed a radiator:

• Turn your central heating on
• Feel along the surface of your radiators for any cold spots
• Turn the central heating off and allow it to cool down (this will prevent hot water from burning you)
• Choose the first radiator that you wish to bleed (particularly focusing on those with cold spots).
• Place your towel underneath the radiator and insert your radiator bleed key into the bleed valve (found at the top on the side)
• Turn the key anti-clockwise and listen out for a hissing sound
• When the hissing draws to a close, turn the key back again
• You’ll notice that water will drip from the radiator once the hissing stops – this means that you’ve successfully released any trapped air
• Bleed your other radiators
• Check your boiler pressure and adjust if there has been a drop in the pressure gauge
• Turn your central heating back on and check the radiators again for cold spots
• If there are still cold spots at the bottom of the radiator, this may indicate a buildup of sediment and it may be worth flushing the system.

Place foil behind the radiators

Taking a large length of aluminum foil and placing it behind your radiators can be a great way to keep your house extra warm. Placing it against the outside wall can reduce the amount of heat escaping from your house.

Leave a gap between your sofa and radiator

Many of us are guilty of pushing our sofas back against the radiators in our living rooms in order to allow for more space. However, the heat radiating from your radiator can move into the room, and the rest of the house, more freely if there is a considerable gap.

 A spokesperson from Unbeatable Blinds had this to say:  

“As the cost of living continues to grow, finding ways to defend your home against the cold weather is more important than ever. Adopting these hacks will help to keep your home warm and save you money on heating bills. 

The recent spike in online searches for ‘keep house warm’ is a sad reality for many Brits, who will look for cheaper alternatives to turning their central heating on. It is so important to act now and defend your home against the cold.” 

Unbeatable Blinds offer the cheapest UK custom made-to-measure blinds. All blinds are manufactured in the UK, and are made to your specific measurements.  

Credit to unbeatableblinds.co.uk who commissioned the research