Winter is coming and you will notice it. Temperatures will drop and rainy days will become more and more common. Now you want to sit inside and crank up the stove but gas prices do not allow you to have the stove on all evening and this is very annoying. But there are plenty of energy-saving measures or adjustments you can do to save money and energy.
Tip 1: Keep the heat inside
If you do want to turn on the stove, make sure your house is well insulated. In many new-build homes, the windows are double-glazed and the doors often close tightly in the frame. Do you have a slightly older house? Then use draught strips. Place these near the windows and doors to seal your house from the cold from outside and keep your heat inside. It is also wise to pay attention to closing the doors indoors. That way, you keep the heat in the rooms where you want it heated and the heat does not creep unnecessarily into the hallway or attic.
Do you love sitting outside and often sit on your veranda or canopy. Then preferably use an electric patio heater or fire up an old-fashioned wood-burning fire pit. Sit as close to the heat as possible and, if you can, make sure the veranda is closed and the heat stays inside.
Tip 2: Save on lighting
Lighting in and around the house is often an energy guzzler. Therefore, replace halogen bulbs for LED bulbs. LED is 90% more efficient than an incandescent lamp and 85% more efficient than halogen bulbs. This way, even in winter you keep a cosy atmospheric light but the extra costs are only for replacing the bulb.
Besides switching on the lamps, you can choose to keep the curtains open an hour longer and use the natural daylight. Do you live on the street or directly on the pavement and don't want people to be able to look in on you? Then use blinds. These slats can be tilted and still let in enough light while people outside can hardly see you. And are you an outdoorsman and love a nicely lit garden? Then opt for a Swedish torch. These natural tree trunks are simply lit with a wick and provide an atmospheric light!
Tip 3: Keep yourself warm
Keeping yourself warm is quick and easy with a jumper. A good tip for choosing an outfit for winter days is to wear layers on top of each other. Start with a shirt and tuck it into your trousers as well to avoid a cold back. After this, put on a long-sleeved shirt and a jumper or cardigan to build up the layers. This way, you insulate yourself and keep your body heat trapped in the clothes. Are you still cold in the house at night? Put on an extra (thick) jumper or make sure there are enough warm blankets on the sofa and in bed.
Tip 4: Save hot water
Heating water costs a lot of energy. Taking hot, long showers is therefore out of the question if you want to save energy. Shower for a maximum of five minutes. This is long enough and saves a huge amount of energy compared to, say, 8 minutes of showering (average shower time). For saving water, buying a water-saving shower is an easy step. This shower head lets through a maximum of 7.2 litres per minute, which means you use a lot less water per minute.
But not only in the bathroom but also in the kitchen you can save on hot water. For example, make only one suds of hot water and clean the entire house at once with it. That way you use the water very efficiently and don't use more than you really need.
Saving throughout the household
It is good to be aware of the consumption of water, gas and electricity in your household. If you apply these tips, you will already do a lot to keep your energy bills low. Help other people save too and share your tips in the comments below this blog. That way we can all help each other and get through the winter with peace of mind and warmth.
One last piece of advice. Are you still looking for a nice indoor fireplace with nice extra warmth to save money and energy? Then take a look at the Dimplex Stockbridge 2.0 Opti-Myst. This fireplace looks very nice in the living room and provides additional heat of up to 2kW.
