I dread how cold my old house gets every winter – but this year, I’m trusting these 6 expert-approved methods to make it feel warmer without rocketing my energy bills
If, like me, you live in an old house that you struggle to keep warm once winter hits, check out my tips for beating the chill without relying on your central heating alone
There has definitely been a chill in the air in recent weeks – and, for me, this has been felt indoors as much as out. My home is a 111-year old cottage and while there is so much I love about it, it's internal winter temperatures isn't one of them.
While we have central heating, unless it is left to blast out all day long (which obviously results in some eye-watering energy bills), the house quickly becomes cold again and, without it, it can feel unbearable to spend time in – particularly as someone who works from home.
I am really keen that by implementing measures to make the house feel warmer, none of its character and charm are lost – plus I'd like any methods we use to be affordable and quick to put into place given that winter is almost here. I spoke to a range of experts about my dilemma and was so pleased to learn that there are lots of ways to make my old house feel warmer in winter that I haven't tried before – and they needn't cost me a fortune. Here's the six things I'm doing right now.
1. Giving my heating system a thorough health check
I am painfully aware that there are several flaws with my central heating system, the poorly positioned radiators being one of them, as well as the fact that they are undersized. There is also the fact that I never really got to grips with the thermostat that we inherited with the house in terms of finding the ideal central heating schedule.
That aside, though, it turns out there are steps I can take to ensure we are getting the very most out of the system without breaking the bank, something Ant Langston, bathroom and heating expert at HeatandPlumb.com, pointed out to me. 'Ensuring your radiators are in tip top condition before winter arrives is paramount to lowering your costs. An un-serviced boiler or a radiator with cold spots will cost you more money in the long run. Booking a Gas Safe engineer for an annual service ensures your boiler works exactly when you need it, while bleeding your radiators clears any trapped air so they heat up evenly.'
Carl Mason, founder of Mason & Oak Surveyors and Heritage Consultancy, also explained to me that there are some simple upgrades I could make to my system that should make things around here more comfortable. 'Smart thermostats, programmable controls and thermostatic radiator valves can help property owners match heating to their individual routines. Compatible smart radiator valves can offer room-by-room scheduling, which may be useful where different parts of a large older home are occupied at different times. However, the implementation of technology should solve a practical problem rather than introducing it for technology's sake – a simple, properly set-up programmer may be sufficient for some households. A smart device cannot compensate for an unsuitable or poorly maintained and inefficient system.'
Ant Langson also highlights the importance of not over-heating spaces that aren't being used if you want your keep in control of your bills and save energy at home. 'You don't need every room at the same temperature. My youngest has now headed off for uni so her room no longer needs to be at level that it was, but there is a sensible limit. In a cold house, allowing rooms to stay cold increases the risk of damp and condensation, particularly where there is little airflow. Thermostatic radiator valves and a smart thermostat can help you heat the rooms you are using more effectively.'
Ant Langston is marketing manager of HeatandPlumb.com. Ant has a decade's worth of experience at in the bathroom, heating and bathroom furniture industry at HeatandPlumb.com, where he has authored hundreds of guides on interior design and technical plumbing
Carl Mason is founder of Mason & Oak Surveyors and Heritage Consultancy in Preston. He provides residential building surveys across Lancashire and the North West, with particular expertise in older, traditionally constructed, period and historic buildings. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Building Conservation and Adaptation and is a member of the Residential Property Surveyors Association.
2. Assessing the current insulation levels
As an old house with solid walls there is little in the way of insulation around here, aside from in the newer sections. While I might not want the disruption of retrofitting insulation internally or externally, I do know that topping up the loft insulation should be high on my to-do list.
'Where there is an accessible, unheated loft, appropriately installed insulation is a sensible investment,' agrees Carl Mason. 'Existing insulation may have been displaced, compressed or left with gaps. Improving loft insulation can reduce heat loss and heating demand, and may also improve the building’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating.'
'The first thing to do is to make the changes that are low on disruption, high on payback and don’t affect the way the building looks or performs,' picks up Simon Bones, the founder and CEO of Genous. 'Cavity wall insulation (if it’s possible – most homes built before the 1930s don’t have cavities) is relatively low cost and can be done without stripping out plaster. Similarly, topping up loft insulation is cheap and won’t impact usability if you put boarding in.'
Simon Bones is the founder and CEO of Genous, the UK’s premium home retrofit company. Simon has combined his expertise in climate change science and energy and infrastructure services with his personal experience of delivering multiple home retrofits to help shift the public’s mindset and bring us closer to a more energy efficient and greener future.
3. Sorting out the remaining draughty windows and doors
While I haven't totally neglected the task of draught-proofing windows and doors, I certainly haven't quite finished the job. The bathroom window in particular needs attention, and I am increasingly wondering whether some kind of window insulation film could help take the edge off the single glazed bay in the living room.
Joe Buckley, founder and director of Heritage Joinery Solutions, also explained the importance of checking how the windows are fitting in their frames. 'If you have timber framed windows, first check how well they close. A sash window that rattles or has a gap where the two halves meet lets warm air escape the home. Turning up the central heating won’t fix this. Adjust the window so it closes flush and install discreet draught seals instead of replacing the whole original frame – you don’t have to lose the slender glazing bars and mouldings that give the house its character to make it more comfortable.'
'Brush seals and compression seals fitted on windows make a huge difference and are invisible when finished – plus they are cheaper than window replacement too,' adds Jake Vincett, co-director of Heritage Build Group. 'You can add secondary glazing to windows which adds another (slim) layer to the internal side of the window and makes single glazed windows perform like double glazing.'
Shop draught-proofing essentials
Easy to cut and install and a total bargain, these two rolls of self-adhesive draught excluder tape each measure 6m long and are effective at blocking draughts, as well as helping with soundproofing.
I've already fitted one of these to my draughty front door and the difference is really noticeable already – it was easy to install and doesn't detract from the pretty original details I was keen to retain.
I've been wanting to try this out for ages on my single glazed bay and it's finally time – this particular window film kit promises easy installation, fantastic insulating properties and won't break the bank either.
Joe founded Heritage Joinery Solutions, with a specialism on restoration, replication and installation of traditional timber windows and doors for period homes.
Jake Vincett is the Co-director of Heritage Build Group LTD - a construction company based in Kettering, Northamptonshire.
4. Hunting for any gaps and holes elsewhere
Along with my windows and doors, there are definitely other draughty spots I'll be addressing before things get really cold – in particular I'll be adding draught excluders to the base of my ill-fitting internal doors to prevent heat loss in the room we're spending time in.
There are other spots around the house I need to investigate too when it comes to draught-proofing ideas, something Ant Langston pointed out to me. 'In older homes heat can escape in numerous areas such as unused fireplaces, gaps in skirting boards, floorboards and doors. Sealing these gaps leaves the original character of the house untouched and is a relatively inexpensive fix. There are many draught-proofing kits that are suitable on the market for this task.'
'If you don't use your chimney, consider a chimney balloon to block the big hole that goes to the cold outside,' picks up Jake Vincett. 'And fill any gaps in the floor and around skirting with filler, caulk, timber slivers, or draught excluder strips.'
Blocking draughts through your chimney is a great way to keep warm air in and cold air out. Just remember to remove it before you use your fireplace.
5. Upgrading my window dressings
My current window treatments are doing nothing to help with the indoor temperatures. This is especially true in the living room, where we have nothing more than a very worn looking single-lined linen blind in the original single-glazed bay window.
I am in the process of ordering a heavier thermal blind here to keep cosy in the evenings, as well as a thermal curtain to hang in front of the draughty front door that is one of the leading culprits when it comes to our freezing cold hallway. I also plan on throwing down a thick rug in this space to mitigate the refrigerating effect the cold, uninsulated slate floor seems to have.
'Heavy curtains running from the ceiling to the floor will make a noticeable difference to the insulation of a room with leaky windows,' says Jake Vincett. 'Internal shutters will reduce heat loss through the window too.'
Shop thermal window treatments
Available in a choice of three muted shades, this pretty bird-patterned blind features a thick lining and comes in various sizes too. It is made from a chenille fabric that can be easily wiped clean if needed.
This heavy door curtain comes in a wide range of colours, including this pretty Putty shade – plus it has an ultra-thick thermal lining to stop chilly draughts in their tracks.
I struggle to know what to do in our bathroom with its draughty wooden window but these made-to-measure shutters should help to stop draughts from seeping on in – plus they are really stylish.
6. Carrying out some external house maintenance tasks
While the weather is still holding up a little, there are also some exterior home improvement jobs that I plan on carrying out in a bid to make internal temperatures a little more stable.
Clearing gutters and drains are two on my list of priorities as this is a task that is long overdue and could help keep my house from feeling icy. This is because water running down exterior walls and keeping them damp can lead to cold spots internally, condensation and, eventually, even damp and mould.
Additionally, if you are considering upgrading your insulation, this is a task that is essential to carry out first, as Carl Mason explains. 'Leaking gutters, roof defects and persistent damp should be investigated before insulation is added. Solid-wall insulation requires particular care over materials, exposure and moisture.'
FAQs
Is installing a heat pump a good way to keep an old house warm?
Heat pumps are becoming more and more commonplace these days, but many people living in period properties tend to shy away from them.
'An old house is not automatically unsuitable for a heat pump. The decision should be informed by a room-by-room heat-loss assessment and a design that considers radiator sizes, operating temperatures, controls and space for equipment,' advises Carl Mason. 'Any effect on historic fabric or appearance also needs consideration. For someone seeking improvements this winter, I would begin with maintenance, draught reduction, appropriate insulation and heating controls, while planning larger changes carefully.'
Simon Bones feels that, after putting in the easier, cheaper elements to keep an old house warm, a heat pump is well worth considering.
'If you don’t want to take up your floors or strip back plaster to put in internal wall insulation then the good news is you don’t have to – a heat pump, probably with a battery and time-of-use electricity tariff (and solar PV panels if you don’t mind the look) will normally pay back better than intrusive insulation anyway. Heat pumps and batteries do need careful placement for character properties, but if there are places for the units to go then it does mean the potential to lower bills without needing to mess too much with the core building fabric.
'Heat pumps can run at 400% efficiency (compared to 87-89% for even the most efficient fossil-fuel boiler), reducing emissions but also bills – particularly if you can buy electricity at off-peak rates to use it,' continues Simon. 'Off-peak tariffs are often available if you have an electric or plug-in-hybrid car and a suitable charger, but there are other tariffs even if you don’t have that. If you then charge your battery at those rates and use that, and potentially solar to power your home when you need it, that can take bills right down.'
If you are still after some ideas on how to keep toasty at home now temperatures are dropping, why not familiarise yourself with the methods Scandinavians use to keep their homes warm without central heating – they really do know a thing or two.
