How to Keep Your Home Green AND Warm This Winter

The weather outside is frightful, but your home can be oh so delightful. Keeping your home warm and snug doesn’t have to be a massive chore. Here are a few tips to help you retain your green credentials while preparing a cosy den for winter.

Insulate, insulate, insulate
While you’re likely to have already considered the main insulation options for your home long before winter sets in, there are several ways to improve the protection your home gives you from draughts and chills. Simple actions such as checking and renewing the seals and insulation around windows and doors can help to retain a lot of extra heat. An inspection to ensure that existing insulation is still effective and in good condition is also vital. You might want to consider installing newer insulation materials if necessary; several recycled options are now available, including denim insulation, which is made from old jeans!

Programmable perfection
Assuming your heating system as a whole is in good shape and you don’t have too much heat loss from draughts, the best thing you can do to reduce energy use and improve the eco-friendliness of your home is to install a programmable thermostat. This simple device will make your heating system much more responsive to your needs, allowing you to use only the energy that you actually require. While any program that reduces heating levels during the times people are asleep or out of the house will help, why not try knocking the set temperature down by a degree or two and seeing if that is comfortable? If it works for you, you’ll save tonnes of carbon and cash.

Accessorize
While adding attractive items to your home won’t normally help in your quest to stay snug, adding insulated curtains and window hangings, floor rugs, and draught excluders certainly will. Choose good quality items that you can use year after year, and they will repay your investment in no time. You may even want to indulge your crafting skills to add a personal touch.