Keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer can be a constant battle of adjusting the heating and opening the windows. Thanks to extreme weather and the rising costs of heating and power, it’s often more challenging than ever. Keeping a constant eye on the temperature gauge is never fun but thankfully there are easier ways to keep your home temperature stable and comfortable, no matter what the weather is doing outside. In this article, we’ll look at ways you can improve your home to boost energy efficiency and improve your overall comfort.
Improved Insulation
Proper insulation is one of the most important factors in how energy efficient your home will be. Without it, your home will lose heat faster during the winter and you may also find that it struggles to stay cool during the summer months. You can significantly cut down on your energy usage simply by increasing the insulation of your outer walls, roof and windows. Insulation is effectively making it more difficult for heat energy transfer by filling gaps.
If your home doesn’t already have proper insulation you should look at getting it installed as soon as possible. Although it can be a large initial expenditure, it may significantly reduce your spending and save you money in the long run. Not only that, but it will make it much easier to manage the temperature of your home and make it more comfortable overall.
Aside from insulating the walls and roof, make sure you choose well insulated frames for doors and windows. In addition, double or triple glazing will help to insulate the windows themselves, reducing the amount of heat lost during the winter. In the summer, you can prevent heat from transferring through windows by using thick blinds or curtains to block the sunlight.
Program Your Heating System
While some people prefer to simply switch the heating on whenever it gets too cold, you’ll find it makes more sense to have your system running on a regular program. The majority of modern central heating systems come with a programmable computer which lets you set a specific time and temperature. Using this will ensure that the heating comes on when it needs to, allowing the house to stay at a stable temperature.
The programmable heating is especially useful as you can set it to come on for when you’re arriving at home. This way, it will warm things up for you just before you arrive. If you simply turn the heating on when it gets cold and turn it off when you’re warm, the house will constantly go between being warm and cold. Although having the heating on more regularly may be more expensive at first, you’ll build up residual heat and your home will eventually stay warmer for longer. The heating will then need less time to warm up and you’ll find it more comfortable overall.
Proper Ventilation
Throughout your home, you want air to be able to pass freely between rooms to ensure heat travels through the house. This helps to keep everything at a stable temperature, preventing one room from being too hot or too cold. Ventilation also helps to prevent the buildup of humidity, which can be a factor in temperature as well as creating unsafe conditions such as mould.
Most homes use vents for ventilation, but some have powered ventilation systems to draw air in from outside and pass it through the building. Typically, these systems are very low cost and they’re definitely worth it as it will help your home stay dry and at a stable temperature.
