There’s nothing quite like relaxing in a cosy, heated home as winter’s chill sets in, but managing heating costs while maintaining comfort can prove challenging. December presents particular financial pressures as households prepare for Christmas Day, but letting your property grow cold to save on energy isn’t advisable.
Maintaining your home’s temperature at approximately 18C to 20C remains important for wellbeing and preventing frozen, burst pipes. Heating specialists at All the Home have shared a straightforward method to maintain warmth without running radiators constantly – simply leave your curtains drawn back. They explained: “One straightforward way to enhance heat retention is to adjust your curtains based on the sun’s position.
“During the day, open your curtains to let sunlight warm your home. Natural sunlight can increase room temperatures by as much as 10 degrees, significantly reducing your heating needs.”
While simple, drawing back curtains during daylight hours permits sunshine to warm various surfaces throughout your property, including walls, flooring and furnishings.
This elevates the room’s temperature by generating a greenhouse effect which captures additional warmth indoors, ensuring you remain comfortable come evening, reports the Express.
How to use curtains to keep a home warm
Initially, it’s advisable to trial this technique in spaces featuring south-facing or west-facing windows, as these receive greater direct sunshine during daytime hours. Simply open your curtains during late morning when sunlight is at its strongest, then draw them closed in early evening as dusk falls.
The expert explained: “As the sun sets, close your curtains to trap the heat inside. This simple routine of opening and closing curtains can cut heat loss by nearly 25%, reducing reliance on your heating system.”
Lighter shades will distribute warmth more effectively, so positioning a white or pale-coloured rug in the room you want to heat should produce a noticeable improvement.
Should you have any furnishings such as an armchair positioned near your window, relocating it can prevent it from obstructing incoming sunlight.
Ensure your windows are spotlessly clean as well, since even a fine film of grime can diminish the amount of natural light entering a space.
Spending just a few moments opening and closing curtains can help maintain warmth in your home and retain heat, meaning you won’t need to keep your radiators running constantly.
It’s an incredibly straightforward method to maintain higher room temperatures whilst reducing energy expenditure, allowing you to make modest savings with minimal effort.
