As the festive season approaches, homeowners across Redditch are not only preparing for a fun Christmas break – but we’re also bracing for the chilly weather! With temperatures threatening to drop below freezing, keeping our homes warm is not just a matter of comfort, but of necessity.
This year, as we deck the halls and trim the tree, let’s also focus on creating a cosy haven that won’t break the bank. That’s why we’ve created our festive list to take you on a tour through the “12 Rooms of Christmas,” offering room-specific strategies to banish the cold and keep your energy costs in check.
Living Room
Let’s start in the place we all love to gather – our living rooms! While we might all typically rely on our boilers and radiators to do the job, there are hidden areas in all rooms that can fight against our radiator’s efforts.
For example, heat can easily escape through walls, floors and ceilings. Doors and windows can also have cracks or gaps in their seals which directly cause heat loss (and cold air entrances!). To keep our living room toasty for Christmas, here are some tips you can try:
- Rearrange your furniture: Move sofas and armchairs away from external walls and closer to heat sources. Ensuring you leave space around radiators will also help heat circulate. This way, you’ll feel warmer and have a perfect view of the twinkling tree.
- Curtain call: Those festive curtains aren’t just for show! Close them as soon as dusk falls to trap the day’s warmth inside. For an extra boost, line your curtains with thermal material or replace them with specialised insulating curtains.
- Plug the gaps: Take some time to check all the edges and seals around your doors and windows. You may find some gaps or damaged areas you didn’t see before. Then you can use fillers or draught-excluders to prevent heat escape. It’s a small, but very impactful way to keep heat inside.
If you’re struggling to heat your home, you might need to speak with a heating installer to assess your home’s heating needs. You may find your boiler is not powerful enough for the size of your home – or you may feel you’re overpaying for very little heat output.
These situations can both be easily checked and resolved with the help of a professional. They can also guide you through the cost of a new central heating system in the UK, should you require a smaller, larger or more efficient system.
Kitchen
Moving into the kitchen – most of us may find the kitchen is naturally the warmest place in our homes.. that’s if you’re a keen cook! In general, we don’t want to keep a kitchen too warm, as this is where we store foods that would spoil quickly.
However, there are some ways we can increase the warmth here, for the times we spend in the room. For example, when we cook, we can open doors into other rooms to share the warmth (and the yummy aromas!) Here are some other ideas:
- Lay rugs: Try to include rugs or floor coverings in your kitchen to lessen the cooling effect of laminate flooring.
- Lighting: This one is a bit of a cheat, but swapping out bright lighting for warm white bulbs can actually enhance the feeling of warmth.
- Radiator checks: If you have a radiator in your kitchen, check it’s working optimally. We can often overlook the performance of kitchen radiators when we’re not experiencing cold weather. You may find they need bleeding, or simply turning up!
Bedroom
Arguably the most important place you really want to feel warm and comfortable. As our sanctuary and place of rest, it’s important we keep this room perfectly heated. Some crucial pointers for this spot:
- Draft-proof: As we mentioned before, gaps around windows and doors can be the worst! Check your windows and doors and keep drafts out of your room. Be sure you check any kids, or elderly relatives, rooms also – as lower temperatures can be a greater risk to their health.
- Bedding: Flannel or fleece bedding is great for added insulation, or opt for an electric blanket that can provide targeted warmth – alternatively, prepare a hot water bottle and leave it in your bed for a while before you go to sleep. In addition, you might wish to switch duvets for the winter, to one with a higher tog rating, giving you even more comfort.
Bathroom
As we hop on over to the bathroom, there are some notable ways we can improve warmth here – although running a hot bath or shower is a great way to warm up… often when we exit is when we feel the chill most! Here are some quick tips:
- More ways to heat: Bathrooms are a great place to install heating solutions, such as towel rails or underfloor heating, as this is where we can benefit from them the most. Warm towels and toes are a perfect way to finish up any wash routine.
- Chunky mats: Underfloor heating isn’t available to everyone, but some chunky floor mats (or memory foam ones), are a comforting way to step out onto a cold floor. They will provide some insulation and can add to the overall design of a room.
- Insulating paint: That’s right – bathroom paints do exist which have insulating and heat reflecting properties (who knew!). Perhaps it’s time for a revamp?
Home Office
Ensuring you keep warm while working, is absolutely essential! To save on your bills though, you might want to find ways to warm your office, rather than your entire home. Here are a few ideas:
- Cover and seal: Like some of our points above, it’s important you eliminate drafts and seal up any areas heat could escape. Install some heavy curtains and fit weather stripping to your doors and windows.
- Portable heating: To prevent turning on the whole central heating system, why not use a portable heater? If this doesn’t appeal, you could consider installing a smart thermostat that will allow you to heat individual rooms only.
- Layout: Ensure furniture isn’t blocking radiators, keep doors closed and consider laying down rugs to really enhance your insulation.
Dining Room
Here we like to eat in comfort, and during Christmas, we’ll also have to consider any guests and family joining! To keep this space are cosy as possible, you can try these tips:
- Radiator reflectors: To enhance the heat from your radiators you can install reflectors, which sit directly behind them blocking heat from escaping through the wall. These are simple to fit and cheap, yet can have a great impact on warming a large space.
- Lighting: Using candles, fairy lights or warm tone bulbs will help give your feast a greater sense of warmth during meal times.
- Furnishings: Soft furnishings, such as throws and cushions can add warmth to seating – particularly if your dining chairs are wooden.
Hallway
Nobody likes to walk into a chilly hallway, stepping in from the cold should be a warm and inviting experience. If your hallway is feeling less than welcoming, here are a few things to look out for:
- Is your front door ok?: When we’ve lived somewhere a long time, we can overlook the small things… like whether our front door is working effectively. Sealant and letterboxes can form large gaps over time that let in a lot of cold air. Give your door a health check and fix any issues.
- Are you insulated?: If your hallway opens up towards the ceiling, you might experience large heat loss if your loft isn’t insulated. Check the condition of existing insulation, or consider getting some installed.
Conservatory
Often an area we love during the sunny months, but can avoid like the plague during winter! Well, this can be avoided and with the help of some heating techniques you could be entertaining in a conservatory this Christmas!
- Roof insulation: Installing multi-layered aluminum insulation can help maintain temperature in your conservatory year round.
- Upgrading glazing: If your conservatory has single glazing, it’s time to upgrade! Double or triple-glazing will do wonders at reducing heat loss.
- Underfloor heating: To provide a truly efficient form of warmth, underfloor heating is a great pairing for a conservatory. It can provide gentle, consistent heat without be wasted.
Loft and Basements
Whilst these aren’t often rooms we would use daily, or for socialising, they’re actually crucial areas when it comes to keeping the rest of our homes warm. Being at the top and bottom of the property, they can be terrible areas for heat loss – so here’s how we can improve them:
- Insulation: Use a high-quality insulation, such as blanket, sheet, or loose-fill for lofts. Proper insulation will improve overall energy efficiency.
- Use warm flooring materials: In lofts, consider installing carpets or adding area rugs to provide insulation and comfort underfoot. For basements, choose warm flooring options like cork or engineered wood with proper underlayment to combat the naturally cold concrete floors.
Garage
If you have a converted garage, there are some ways you can improve the heat and temperature. Whether yours is joined to a home, or in a stand-alone building, there are some techniques which can improve comfort:
- Walls and ceiling insulation: Consider installing fibreglass insulation in the walls. This can then be covered with plywood to create an insulating barrier. It’s thought this can improve temperatures by up to 12 degrees.
- Garage door insulation: Due to the thin nature of metal garage doors, it’s a good idea to fit a layer of insulation to the door itself.
- Add a heat source: Most garages won’t have fitted radiators, so it’s worth using a space heater to add a source of warmth.
Garden area (e.g patio/decking)
For those of us who can’t get enough of the outdoors (even in winter!), it can be tough to close down our patio or decking area in the harsher seasons. If you still wish to use them and stay warm, however, there are a number of ways you can get around the weather (although we wouldn’t suggest sticking it out in a storm…).
- Fires: Use a removable fire feature, like a firepit or chiminea to add warmth and a cosy ambience. Paired with plenty of blankets, you can create a magical outdoor escape that still keeps you warm. Alternatively, consider infrared heaters or freestanding propane heaters. Infrared heaters provide targeted warmth, while propane heaters can heat a larger area.
- Windbreakers: Privacy screens, potted shrubs or well-placed furniture can act as a barrier against wind.
Whether you’re hosting festive gatherings or enjoying quiet nights in, this guide ensures every corner of your home remains a cosy retreat from the winter chill. Embrace the warmth and spirit of the season with these simple yet effective heating hacks for a truly merry Christmas in Redditch.
Written by Becky Mckay
