Keep Your Home Warm and Safe with Our Top Tips

• Top Tips
• Published: 21 Oct 2009 in Household and Gas Electricity

Winter is well and truly on its way, and with a recent Ofgem report suggesting that fuel prices are unlikely to fall, we could all be bracing ourselves for a particularly long cold snap. But that doesn’t mean we should resign ourselves to nose-hanging icicles. Here at Confused.com, we’ve got some handy hints and tips for staying warm whilst conserving energy, and moreover doing it safely.

1. Wrap your home in insulation

The best way to keep the cold out and the lovely warmth in is to ensure your home is properly insulated. Heat rises, so be sure to get decent insulation in your loft – at least 270mm is recommended by the Energy Saving Trust. Plus a third of the heat lost in an un-insulated house is through the walls, so see that they’re well padded too.

This might sound costly, but it doesn’t have to be. You are likely to lose far more money through lost heat over the course of time. Also, energy grants might be available to you, which could help you insulate your home.

Want to know more? Then read our article ‘Don’t Get Left Out in the Cold – Insulate your Home’. Choosing the right windows can make a big difference too.

2. Beware of carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is silent, invisible to the naked eye, odourless and flavourless... Yet it can cause a wide range of really unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, headaches, exhaustion and vomiting – and can even be fatal. Among other things, CO can be emitted by faulty heating and cooking appliances, so make sure your boiler is in good order, and think about upgrading your old gas appliances. If you’re planning to use old-fashioned portable heaters, get them checked by an expert before use. You are much more likely to have a problem with CO if you’re using old equipment.

It’s always a good idea to keep your home well ventilated. If you have a chimney – especially if you use it for sitting round the fire during the chilly months – make sure it’s swept annually by a qualified engineer or chimney sweep. Also think about investing in a European Standard CO detector with an audible alarm.

If you’re concerned about CO in your home, or you have any friends or relatives who you may feel are unaware of the risk, it’s worth visiting The Carbon Monoxide and Gas Safety Society website. The site is full of information and prevention tips that could prove vital.

3. Get a smart meter

If you want to kerb mounting energy costs, then investing in a smart meter might well be helpful. This is a device which monitors your energy usage, and keeps your supplier informed in real time. In turn, you can log in to the account provided by your supplier, and see how your gas and electricity consumption is going on the web. Handy, eh?

By keeping closer tabs on your energy usage, you should be able to reduce your consumption accordingly. In fact, statutory body Consumer Focus have estimated that you could save as much as 15% off your bills. Plus the fact that your supplier is being constantly updated means that your bills will always be accurate, not estimated.

Learn more about smart meters here.

4. Insulate yourself!

Want to walk around in shorts and a t-shirt? Still in denial that the summer’s over? Don’t be – embrace the winter! Dig out a nice, cosy jumper, fill up your hot water bottle, and cuddle up close to someone. And chaps – have you thought about growing a beard? You’ll insulate your face, and save money you’d have otherwise spent on razors, aftershave and hot water.

5. Switch supplier

If jumpers and hot water bottles just aren’t enough, and you really do need to pump up the central heating, you can at least take steps to ensure you’re getting your energy at the best possible price. If you’ve never switched energy tariff, if you’re not paying by Direct Debit, or if you’re not on an online tariff, then the chances are you’re paying over the odds. If you want to find a better deal, why not try comparing suppliers and tariffs at Confused.com. It’s quick and easy, and you’ll find out in minutes whether you can keep your house nice and toasty without burning up unnecessary cash.