Affordable ways to keep your home warm this winter

As temperatures drop, many households are looking for new ways to stay warm at home without breaking the bank on energy bills.

The energy price cap fell from £2,074, where it was between July and September, to £1,834 in October, but bills are "still likely" to be more expensive than last winter, said MoneySavingExpert.

Keeping an eye on energy usage is key in keeping bills down, but there are also practical ways to stay warm without turning up the heating.

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Invest in insulation

Around 25% of the heat in a typical property escapes through the roof, said the Energy Saving Trust, so loft insulation is an "effective way" to reduce heat loss, keep your heating bills down and your home warm. 

It can cost anything from £200 to £2,750 to install loft insulation in a semi-detached house, according to HouseholdQuotes.co.uk, but this should pay for itself "many times" over a 40-year lifetime, added the Energy Saving Trust.

A typical semi-detached house could save £355 per year on energy bills by adding loft insulation, according to the Energy Saving Trust, so if you plan to stay in your home for a while, loft insulation may be worth the investment.

Some households may even be able to save money by installing loft insulation themselves. 

Draught-proof your home

Draughty homes are a "waste of money", warned the Centre for Sustainable Energy, as heat that "you have paid for" escapes through gaps while cold air comes in.

Heat can leak out through windows, doors and floors, but you can prevent this by draught-proofing or sealing gaps that let cold air in or warm air out.

Some of this can be done on the cheap using everyday furnishings like rugs and mats on the floor, and curtains or blinds on windows.

Brush strips, which cost around £10, allow natural ventilation "while stopping draughts" in doors, said Expert Reviews. In many versions, bristles can be cut, allowing the brush to "sweep gently when opened, without dragging across the floor". 

These small improvements will make your home "more comfortable to live in", said Which?, and you may even be able to turn your thermostat down. This could generate more savings as "turning down the thermostat by just one degree in a typical home could save you between £85 and £90 a year", added the consumer group. 

But be mindful of good ventilation, Brean Horne of NerdWallet told Metro, as "your property does need a certain level of ventilation to ensure it doesn't get damp". 

Install heating controls

The most energy-efficient way to heat your home is to have the heating on "only when you need it", said Homeserve. This can be done by using the timer on a thermostat so the heating turns off and on at a programmed time – the "most economical way" saving both energy and money. 

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that installing heating controls such as boiler timers or smart thermostats can cost about £580, but can save around £180 each year.

A thermostatic radiator valve alone can make you savings "as significant as 40%" on your energy consumption, according to BestHeating. It fits on to your existing radiator and has a sensor that expands once a set temperature has been reached to prevent any more hot water from flowing to your radiator. They are priced at around £10 to £30 so "outfitting every radiator in your home could cost a pretty penny", added IdealHome.

Turn down the boiler flow rate

If you have a combi boiler, you can save money by setting your heating flow temperature to 60-65C. It is likely to be higher than that if you have never adjusted it, warned Which?, meaning "you're using more energy each time your boiler comes on". 

These types of boilers should be set to a boiler flow temperature of 60C but many are installed at between 70C to 80C, "burning more gas, generating more emissions, and costing households more than they need to", warned innovation agency Nesta.

If these boilers were optimised with a lower flow temperature, households could reduce their gas use, costs and emissions by 6% to 8%, the charity said.

Electric heaters vs. radiators

With prices starting at around £50, an electric heater can be a cheap and convenient way of keeping warm, as "they can be taken from one room to another if required and you'll only be using what you need", said MoneyWeek.

However, electricity tends to be more expensive than gas, and radiators retain heat better. Heating an entire home with an electric heater by having one in each room will be far more expensive, MoneyWeek added. "You'd be better off using the central heating and turning radiators in empty rooms off at the valve."

Heat the human

Consider wearing more layers, drinking hot drinks and keeping your feet warm, said MoneySavingExpert, so you "heat the human, not the home".

A hot water bottle is "undoubtedly" one of the cheaper ways to stay warm in winter, said Good Housekeeping, or heat pads that you place on your body can provide more "customisable warmth".

Don't stop heating your home, though, said Citizens Advice. It should still be warm enough so there is "less risk of your home becoming damp and you getting ill".

Marc Shoffman is an award-winning freelance journalist, specialising in business, property and personal finance. He has a master’s degree in financial journalism from City University and has previously worked for the FT’s Financial Adviser, the financial podcast In For a Penny and MoneyWeek