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INTERIORS INSIDER
How to
weatherproof your home Bleed your radiators

Learning how to bleed your radiators
can save you money; it makes sure
there’s no trapped air, which can stop them
this winter heating your home effectively.

Draught-proof the doors
15 budget-friendly ways to keep your home warm and dry this winter
Draught-proofing strips can make
– without running up the bills. a big difference. Simply place them
between the door and the doorframe and
add a brush-style draught excluder to the
bottom. For extra warmth, add a cosy plush
inter is well on its way, and so it’s the ideal time to make sure your home is
prepared for the weather ahead. We all know how expensive the bills can get excluder, and you can even install key and
Wduring the colder months, so if you’re looking for ways to keep your home letterbox covers if cold air keeps coming in.
warm and dry, without spending a fortune, read on for some top tips on how to do it.
Make your curtains work harder
Investing in thermal curtains, or
adding a thermal lining to your existing
Service your boiler Fill the gaps in your floorboards curtains, can make a huge difference to your
Book a service to make sure your boiler We all love the look of original home’s warmth. A heavyweight fabric and a Check and clear the gutters
is up to task. An annual checkup, ideally floorboards – but they can be thermal lining can reduce heat loss by up An afternoon spent clearing your
before winter hits, is best to make sure your draughty. Filling the gaps can help, and to 25 per cent. You can buy clip-in thermal gutters (or getting a handyman to do it)
boiler is working efficiently – and if it needs there are many options: from rubber tubing linings for a much lower cost than replacing can help prevent overflowing and potential
repairs, it’s better to find out before it’s already pushed into the gaps, to a sawdust-resin your curtains, for a cheap and easy solution. leaks during the wetter months. Adding wire
freezing outside. mix and wood sealant, it’s an easy way to mesh can also prevent future build-up of
embrace warmth. leaves and debris.
Upgrade your thermostat
Did you know that thermostats can Rearrange your furniture
degrade over time – especially in older Yes, it’s that easy! Keep yourself away
properties? Updating yours to a modern one, from the windows and doors, and keep
or even an app-controlled version, can help you the radiators unobstructed. A handy trick is
keep track of how much energy you’re using, and to place tinfoil behind radiators placed on
help you use it effectively, so you’re not wasting external walls, to bounce the heat back into
money on heating rooms you’re not using. the room, instead of letting it escape outside.

Draught-proof the windows Check the roof and the
About 20% of your home’s heat is lost chimney
through the windows, so filling the gaps Examining your roof for signs of
can make a huge difference. Apply inexpensive damage means you can avoid future leaks, so
self-adhesive foam tape around the window look for cracks, dampness, missing or damaged
frames to stop draughts or use sealant on larger tiles, or moss affecting your roof, and while
cracks. For single-glazed windows, thermal film you’re there, check the chimney to make sure
can act as secondary glazing. any flashing or pointing is in good condition.

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