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Preparing house for winter to keep energy bills low - ideas?

122 replies

Beaucoup · 31/05/2022 08:04

We are taking the summer months to get the house ready for winter partly to avoid energy costs going even higher.

wanted to start a thread with peoples ideas to pool together.

things we are currently doing -

  1. We’ve set up ceiling lines in our south facing conservatory which is a gorgeous space for us all to sit and play/host but doubles up overnights and slow days as drying space. Tumble drier stopped being used but we do switch on the ceiling fan if we’ve hung things up.
  2. getting an electric blanket for my large downstairs office for WFH days to drape over legs instead of having heating on
  3. getting blankets and dressings downs for us and DC to keep in ottoman in sitting room
  4. getting a few microwaveable Sheep as hot water bottles without water!
need advice on a few things -
  1. is an air fryer worth it to avoid oven?
  2. we lack knowledge about insulation and draught proofing particularly - particularly for bedrooms upstairs and front door too
  3. assuming that electric oil filled radiators are v costly to run and isn’t worth using those in rooms we are using rather than heating on centrally?
  4. spouse is thinking of smart thingies on each radiator which means rooms can have heating switched on and off remotely on a timer depending on household routines. Am not sure what these are..
  5. Also thinking of smart plugs at various points in the house to auto switch off things forgotten on standby

any other ideas ?

OP posts:
StickyFingeredWeeNed · 31/05/2022 08:09

my air fryer is saving me a fortune - I take readings weekly and not having the oven on makes a huge difference - especially for things like eg, heating up the oven to cook taco shells for 3 minutes!

I also have an oil radiator and it’s pennies compared to my storage heaters - but it’ll depend what your heating is like.

we have hot water bottles, heavy duvets, wool (not synthetic!) jumpers, sheepskin slippers etc. most people confuse fluff with warmth.

thermal curtain over the external doors.

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 31/05/2022 08:16

Make sure that you only heat your water for the minimum time, making sure that you have enough though!
Mine is on for 2 hours from 5am and provides enough for 3 baths/showers, hand washing and general cleaning. Reduced from 8 hours and massive savings.

caringcarer · 31/05/2022 08:22

Boiling a kettle uses a lot of electricity so only boil enough to make your drinks, not whole kettle full you won't use.

Avoid ironing.

When you put oven on make sure it is full.

In evening when you sit down have a throw/blanket to keep you warm

D0lphine · 31/05/2022 08:23

Honestly the best thing we can all do at the moment is save lots of extra money for bills in the winter. Sad but true.

Of if you rent you could downsize to a smaller home.

D0lphine · 31/05/2022 08:25

@caringcarer

No worries on avoiding the ironing, I've been doing that my entire life - energy crisis or no energy crisis!!

Beaucoup · 31/05/2022 08:29

Ah no we don’t rent - we own and the house has a few rooms downstairs with very variable amounts of sunlight so needing to make some room specific plans - all these are excellent ideas.

OP posts:
Idratherhaveacuppa · 31/05/2022 08:33

We bought a pressure cooker. A pan style, not the plug in one although I'm sure they're as good. We got a 9 litre one.

It means we can cook a huge pot of curry/chilli/stew etc in half an hour max instead of hours on the stove or in the oven. I've also made a few soups as trial runs using lentils and was amazed by it! I know, it's old tech! Even with the reheating cost (which we would be doing anyway) it will save energy.

I have a slow cooker but only really use it for joints of meat. I think other stuff all ends up tasting the same.

CrotchetyQuaver · 31/05/2022 08:38

Good thread, I am seriously considering getting a wood burner put in, we have no open fire here.
I bought an air fryer earlier this year which is getting a lot of use, the other thing I try to do is used the microwaves convection oven rather than the cooker oven as it's a smaller space to heat.

ShropshirePeasant · 31/05/2022 08:43

Use thicker lined curtains especially at larger windows and close the curtains in the winter before it gets dark.
A dehumidifier is excellent for drying clothes indoors. We don’t have central heating and I hang our clothes in front of the log burner over night with the dehumidifier on.
I have found our air fryer to be an excellent money saver. If I do use the oven now I always batch cook for the freezer.
I would recommend some long term food storage. Buy extra of what you use to build up a stock, such as tea, coffee, flour, extra tins etc.

Beaucoup · 31/05/2022 08:50

Thanks all.

does anyone have any links to draught proofing strips for doors and windows? I’ll need to look up how to actually use them.

a few of our rooms have blinds not curtains and being able to strip those with strips might help.

our 2 year old’s room is north facing and also has one of those built in storage loft things which I’m pretty sure let’s cold air in/warmth out - so any ideas for that also useful.

we also need draught protectors under our doors as they all appear to have a clear gap underneath them.

OP posts:
INeedNewShoes · 31/05/2022 08:51

This is my to do list for before the coming winter:

Get windows repaired so that they all close properly (kitchen and living room both let in a draught)

Get heavy curtains for my office (I get so cold sitting at my desk - fingerless gloves and sheepskin slippers help too)

Boiler service

Buy a wool jacket for working at home

Put a shelf above some of the radiators to encourage heat into the room rather than straight up to the ceiling (I need to check the science behind this as I’m only guessing at this one!)

My cheapest tip is to keep moving! When I’m working at home I try to get up and move whenever possible (ie walk around while on the phone, empty the dishwasher when you’re on a break, run up and downstairs a few times). I just find that if I sit at my computer for hours on end I get so cold as I’m not moving.

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 31/05/2022 08:58

When I worked from home in the winter I always wore a little scarf wound around my neck. Kept the heat in nice a cosy.

Beaucoup · 31/05/2022 09:00

Speaking about air fryers is this the sort we need? It seems the higher volume ones are pricier but this seems to be a cheaper high volume one and I’m wondering if this is right?

OP posts:
Beaucoup · 31/05/2022 09:01

It chopped out my words but the link should work. Here is the link again

OP posts:
Beaucoup · 31/05/2022 09:02

The other non halogen option for similar price at 3.2 litres appears to be this one

OP posts:
BiddyPop · 31/05/2022 09:15

We have a thermostat on the heating system, so the gas boiler only turns on when the temp drops below the pre-set value. And we have it at different temps for different parts of the day (I think it's 12 degrees overnight, set to come up to 20 in the early morning just before we get up, then stay above 18 on the days we WFH/weekends or 12 on other days we won't be there so it's not too cold to reheat, back up to 19/20 for the evening when we will be sitting around and also needing hot water). We can override it if we want to boost for extra heat.

We got PV solar panels last winter which have made a huge difference! We're running almost everything in the house on solar power during the day except on rainy days, and once the house no longer needs power, it is diverted into the hot tank first and only exported to the grid when the hot tank hits the max temp. So we are running the washing machine and dishwasher on eco settings and timers so they are running at different times (trying to maximise our use of our own power). And I will often recharge powerbanks during the day and use those to recharge devices/phones in the evenings.

We tend to hang the laundry out if there is any good drying outdoors, and often leave it on the clothes horse in the kitchen/diner overnight if not. I would love a laundry maid but it won't work in the room - DMIL has one in her kitchen and gets great drying from the wood stove in that room (rural house, not great heating, lots of windfall trees for timber). We also only run the appliances when they are full.

Insulation to keep any heat you generate in the house is really important. Ours was not done all at once (we're in the house 20 years next week) but we have put in double glazing (all windows were single glazed), thick insulation on back external walls when we extended and also attic when we extended up there, into the empty roof space over the "bay" window in the north-facing sitting room (OMG that was a HUGE improvement to that room!), and better front and back doors for insulation and blocking draughts in all sorts of places. The vents that were in all the bedrooms upstairs were basically just open holes letting heat pour out - so we got proper covers that can be closed and filled in the gaps around them when we fitted them, and also sealed up holes we found in the bathroom floor when we replaced the bath.

We had been using a chimney balloon to block the chimney when we weren't using the open fire, as it let lots of draughts in. And the actual fire was so inefficient when it was lit. But we actually replaced it with an enclosed stove about 5 years ago - so now a much smaller fire lets much more heat into the room (and burns more cleanly and completely - there is a LOT less ash and almost no cinders left), and keeping the door and vents closed at other times has really reduced the cold air leaking back in. In previous years before we fixed windows and insulation, I had very thick curtains with blackout lining and also interlined (like a thin blanket between the fabric and lining) in that room, and also good lined curtains in other rooms, to help keep the heat in the room. Closing the curtains as soon as it got dark made a big difference to keeping heat in - even if we weren't using that room. And also closing the doors of any rooms that you are not using - keep the heat in the rooms you are using.

I have been using a fleece blanket over my knees when WFH in cooler days, rather than turning on the heating, and often a thick cardigan (that looks ok on camera) on top if needed. And we have always been people to wear proper clothes - so putting on a vest/thermals on colder days, wearing thick fluffy socks if not doing a lot of moving around, etc. I like the idea of an electric blanket for that purpose! I also use hot water bottles in bed, and occasionally when WFH. And we use a lot of throws over us when curled up on the couch in the evenings.

I love the idea of the airfryer for the taco shells. We use ours a fair bit. But we also do use the oven as I will have 3/4 different things in there at once - all the bits for dinner, baking bread or cakes, roasting squashes to use for soup the next day....etc. I sometimes also use the oven to make dinner on the timer so it's ready when we get it (which in itself helps as reduces the load on grid at absolute peak as it's often slow cooked stews that need the energy to heat the oven earlier and only need minimal energy to finish cooking in the evening peak). I also use a slow-cooker at times which also uses a lot less energy. (Also, once everything is cooked and I've turned off the oven, if there is no danger of small DCs running around, I will often leave the door open and let the heat out into the room for a couple of minutes - the opposite to shutting the door quickly on both the oven and the fridge/freezer to keep the heat/cold in when they are in use).

A lot of those things cost us money - but we have done them over the whole time we've been here. Insulation, better windows and doors, stove, solar, better gas boiler - all were expensive but worth it over time for the improvements they gave and reduced costs of running the house.

But not everything is hugely expensive. When we first moved in, the curtains cost a lot but even adding in the cost of the sewing machine I bought - I had saved a LOAD by making them myself compared to getting them made (and you couldn't get interlined, or even blackout lined off the shelf) - and the machine has made a load more things and done a lot of repairs since then. Most of our fleeces came from Ikea and Primark type places. And some things, like finding and plugging gaps, can be done with things like bubble wrap leftover from packaging, or cheap rolls of puffy tape from DIY stores to put around windows and doors. And just remembering to close curtains and internal doors is surprisingly effective on particularly cold days.

hauntedvagina · 31/05/2022 09:16

Get the biggest air fryer you can afford, ideally one with multiple cooking compartments.

Boil enough water for the drinks you want to make and then fill the kettle up again straight away. The residual heat will warm the water slightly so it won't take as long to boil the next time.

Blankets and oodies for everyone. If possible rearrange bedrooms so beds aren't against out slide walls.

Don't iron anything. Plan your laundry around the weather forecast, particularly easy if you work from home. Invest in a sizeable outdoor washing line and a few of those sock dryers from IKEA.

Check your window and door frames for gaps and seal up holes.

It only takes a small amount of sun light for my conservatory to get toasty so I make sure the internal doors are open and the heat drifts through the rest of the living area.

WombatChocolate · 31/05/2022 09:27

Yes, save now so you have a bit of slack for winter.

We have the hot water on for 1 hour a day. That gives enough for 3 showers and some washing up. If someone wants a bath (perhaps once or twice a week) the hot water goes on for an additional 20-30 mins. We are never short of hot water and would always put it on if for some reason we wanted more…..just no point having that as a regular thing when not needed.

Likewise,our heating comes on 20-30 mins before we get up and is on for just over 1 hour. It goes off 15 mins before we leave the house. It’s still warm enough when we leave. It comes on 20 mins before the first people get home and it goes off about 30 mins before we go to bed and still feels okay at that point. Every 15 min slot or 30 min slot you can cut out that you don’t need is saving you some cash or means when it’s really cold, you can have it on then without worrying so much.

Get into habit of switching off applicances. Our microwave and radio and TV is switched off at socket now. Electric toothbrush chargers aren’t left plugged in 24/7.

Sofa blankets - 1 each are good. They often mean you can have another 15 mins without heating or you can drop the thermostat by a degree or 2. This last winter we ran outs at 18 degrees most of the time. It was fine, especially with a lightweight blanket whilst watching TV.

Take an interest in your own meter readings, regardless of whether you have a smart meter. Log it in paper or your phone monthly, just so you can see how usage varies over the seasons.

In the summer, make sure if you go on holiday that hot water is switched off and all applicances.

Make cash elsewhere. For every adult in the house aim to do at least one bank switch per year which will bring in over £100 per adult. Last year I earned £600 for our household by doing about 5 switches for myself and DH. Each took about 10-15 mins.

WombatChocolate · 31/05/2022 09:29

Only boil the kettle for the water you need - ie small amount for 1 cup of tea. Don’t do that thing where you boil it, forget to make the drink and then boil it again 45 mins later. Use the energy you use - same goes for things like hot water in your boiler system, or the heating being on. If you’ll be out for the evening, turn the heating off or adjust the timer so it’s not heating an empty house.

sleepyhoglet · 31/05/2022 09:47

@Beaucoup just be aware that you may cause mild issues if drying in the conservatory. My husband used to do that and it really annoyed me as it wasn't good for the room

knowinglesseveryday · 31/05/2022 10:33

Does anyone know of any mini kettles worth buying? Struggling to get the young adults to not overfill kettle.

HillCrestingGoat · 31/05/2022 10:56

I always say this but look on YouTube for videos on how to do stuff, including things like insulation tape for doors. The best thing we bought (although you can hire them) was an infrared thermal imaging camera so we could actually see cold spots in the house and then figure out why they were colder than the rest of the room.

We could see a massive strip in our loft which was clearly not insulated properly. We also replaced some flooring and I used a spray foam gun, not just the can, you have far more control using the gun for application and sealed under the skirting boards to the floor. I used Screwfix no nonsense stuff and any overshoot with the foam was very easily cut back with an old kitchen knife when it was dry.

@knowinglesseveryday best thing we bought recently was a couple of smart plugs so that the children could see how much something cost to run from the washing machine, tumble dryer, their computers, mobile phone chargers etc. I think seeing it really made them appreciate the costs add up although I did used to work for an electricity company so they have had it drilled[ into them from birth. Grin You could show how much it costs to boil a kettle for what they use and what they should use. Multiply it up and see if they are willing to pay for the electric they are wasting. I had to teach Ds1 to use a kettle for uni as we have a Quooker.

knowinglesseveryday · 31/05/2022 12:30

@HillCrestingGoat thank you!

Salome61 · 31/05/2022 13:02

I saw a suggestion for people working at home on their computer to sit in a sleeping bag - I assume with a big jumper on!

BigSkies2022 · 31/05/2022 16:55

What made a difference in our (rather leaky, single-paned windows house):


  • a good, powerful boiler with separate zones that you could operate independently and thermostats. Sounds obvious, but we replaced two 35 year old Pottertons (on or off, no temperature control) with this last year, and it made the house much warmer. Also fitted thermostatic valves to some radiators.

  • Loads of insulation in the lofts - just the rockwool on rolls from B&Q. I did this myself, it's not very difficult, just a bit unpleasant. But it transformed my son's bedroom, which was freezing before.

  • Chimney sheep and rockwool insulation up the chimneys.

  • Draught-excluding strips on the windows and doors, and redo all the caulking and paintwork on the windows so there are no gaps.

  • Reflective panels behind the radiators on external walls.

  • Bits of old carpet to cover bare floorboards inside cupboards - we had a couple of cupboards like this, and a surprising amount of cold air came up.

  • Draught excluders for the cellar door.

  • Heating the person: merino base layers, thick socks, slippers, thin scarves (silk or cotton) for indoors. Blankets and fleeces for snuggling under. Keep moving regularly if you can - burpees or star-jumps!

  • Batch cooking and freezing - so at least you are only heating up one meal in two rather than cooking from scratch each time (I'm not good at this, or at organising oven use though).


I will be looking into the air-fryer. And adjusting our hot water timing. I'm sure we have it on excessively. And getting thick thermal curtains for son's bedroom.

The dog likes to sleep in with us, so that can be cosy!