More than eight in 10 Scots are worried about soaring energy bills despite measures designed to take the sting out of the cost of living crisis, according to a new poll by YouGov on behalf of Citizens Advice Scotland.
The energy price cap will increase by £693 from April 1, however, the UK Government has announced a scheme which essentially ‘loans’ every single bill payer £200 to bring up front costs down, and the Scottish Government will offer payments of £150 to everyone in Council Tax bands A to D or currently receiving a Council Tax Reduction.
While these support measures will help many households, they won’t be available to everyone.
Below are seven ways to ensure that warmth circulating in your home stays there, which means not having the heating on for longer than necessary.
More expensive options such as replacing an old boiler are smart, long-term investments, but these tips are aimed at helping make a difference now without having to fork out a small fortune.
Seven ways to keep your home warm longer
1. Keep windows and doors shut
Insulate your home for free by keeping the warmth inside. Don’t let heat escape by keeping your windows and doors completely closed whenever possible. Even leaving one window on the latch can cause the temperature to decrease, so stay vigilant.
2. Use the curtains and blinds
The sun heats your home for free, so make the most of it. Open curtains and blinds during the day to let heat in and shut them once the sun goes down. In the dark, curtains and blinds act as another layer of insulation to keep warmth inside the home.
3. Use draught excluders
Even when you keep your doors closed, heat can escape a room through the cracks of a door frame. If you don’t use some of the rooms in your home as often, there is no point in heating them. Keep the warmth inside the rooms you are using by placing a draught exclude r underneath the closed door - and you don't have to buy one, just roll up some bath towels and stick them down, nobody will ever know.
4. Put down a rug
A considerable amount of heat is lost through cold floors, especially if you have hardwood or stone flooring. By placing down a rug you can help prevent heat from being lost to the cold floor.
5. Install window insulation film
Window insulation film is a plastic film similar to cling film that is applied to glass to reduce heat loss. It is a cheap and simple way to keep your home warm without putting on the heating.
Not on the list, but one of the most obvious ways to heat up is to put on an extra layer. If you’re feeling the cold, pop a jumper or cardigan on and you’ll feel warmer in no time.
However, if all else fails and putting on the heating is a must, one way to effectively control the heating usage is by upgrading to an automated smart home heating system.
Smart home heating systems allow householders to easily control their heating even when they are not at home. This can keep usage to a minimum and potentially reduce energy bills - all year round.
6. Layer up
There's not much point trying to save money on you energy bills if you are sitting watching TV wearing shorts and T-shirt. Despite the brief sunny spell of weather most of the country has been enjoying over the last few days, temperatures are still hovering around the zero degree celsius mark.
Enjoy the sun while it lasts, but don't forget once dusk falls, the cold sets in so wear suitable attire - basically, cover up and try not to have too much skin exposed.
For anyone working from home, instead of sticking the heating on for 10 minutes, pop on a sweater, or a cardigan - you'll heat up soon enough.
7. Seal up gaps
For as little as £3 you can buy a jumbo pack of weather strips which are perfect for blocking out pesky draughts on doors, windows and letterboxes. These are usually made of rubber and have a sticky side which you use to plug any gaps between the frames and the window or door.
The strips provide a strong and durable seal and usually come in a long roll which you can cut to size. - a quick fix but long-lasting results.
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