How to Heat Big Spaces in Your Home Effectively

Do you have difficulty to heat big spaces in your home? The Government reports that as many as 2.53 million households were in ‘fuel poverty’ in 2017, meaning they simply can’t afford to keep warm.    

Yet even when money isn’t an issue, it’s not easy to heat a house if it’s older and lacks adequate insulation. Sure, it might have had charm when you first fell in love – but you might be feeling less hot about it in the depths of winter.

Thankfully, there are plenty of tips and tricks worth trying to warm things up, and none of them involve throwing on a woolly jumper. Find seven to start below.

Draught-proof your home

Draught-proofing is a simple and inexpensive DIY task that helps to block cold air from squeezing through cracks in your home. Add tape or strips to window and door frames, do the same to any loft hatches, and add a second flap or brushes to your letterbox. You can even cover keyholes with purpose-made covers.

Use a draught-excluder for the bottom of your doors if you still have any gaps. Your ankles will thank you for it…   

Make the most of radiators to heat big spaces

If you haven’t already, invest in a modern, efficient radiator system and install them in key rooms in your home. Make sure to bleed them regularly to release any trapped air and prevent cold spots.

It’s important to keep them clear of furniture too. While it might feel cosy to have your sofa next to your radiator, a lot of the heat will be absorbed and prevented from reaching the rest of the room.   

And one bonus tip? Lining the back of your radiator with tin foil – even simple kitchen foil – can reflect heat back into the room.

Use your curtains correctly

Keeping curtains open in the daytime and closed at night may sound obvious, but it’s effective. Try to let in as much heat from the sun in the day as possible – it’s free! – and trap it in once it gets dark.

Thermal or heavier curtains could be worth investing in if your home or area is particularly cold. They’ll stop at least some of the warmth escaping.

Put your central heating on a timer

It’s been found that turning on your heating a little earlier at a lower temperature is more efficient than flicking the switch just as you need it.

Program yours to come on half an hour to an hour before you get up in the morning, and again before you arrive home in the evening. Just don’t leave it on low all day long by accident…  

Choose Carpet Over Wood Flooring

Despite wood flooring’s visual appeal, it doesn’t make for a good insulator. A sizeable chunk of your home’s heat could be lost through your floor alone.

Carpet will do a better job and feel warmer underfoot – especially if you install underlay too. If you don’t want to sacrifice your wood floor altogether, adding a few rugs here and there can still make a difference.

Another option is to use filler to seal up the gaps between boards.  

Upgrade Your Boiler

Getting your boiler serviced can keep it going for another season or two. But if yours is 10 years old or more, it’s probably time to switch it out for a new, more efficient model.

A-rated condensing boilers are proven to use less energy to produce the same amount of heat. Proactively upgrading now will also save you the pain of a breakdown in the colder months.

Install a Chimney Balloon To Heat Big Spaces

Chimneys can be a stunning feature of period properties that you won’t want to lose – but they also let a lot of cold air in. Installing a chimney balloon or a similar block can prevent draughts while still allowing your chimney to breathe. If you don’t use your fireplace at all, it could be worth having it professionally capped.