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Home is where the hearth is

Tips on winter-proofi ng your home as the January chill sets in.

As if the winter didn’t bring about all its usual frosty challenges, the energy crisis threatens to make the demands of this year even greater than usual.

While they may not provide a full solution, there are a range of alternative ideas that can help you provide or retain heat in your home.

1. Draught excluders A blast from the past, certainly, but draught excluders are set to be a hot trend in home décor this winter. Cheap, stylish and incredibly effi cient when it comes to keeping cold air out and warm air in, they are a useful addition to every home.

Children especially appreciate them when disguised as an adorable snake or sausage dog. 2. Heated drying racks While regular clothes horses can take an age to dry your clothes and tumble driers eat up energy, heated racks provide that happy medium. Neat, compact and effective, they run from as little as 3p per hour and can generally fi t a full load of washing on them.

They also have the added benefi t of providing a little extra warmth, making them ideal for rooms that are on the chilly side.

3. Electric blankets They may be associated with the elderly, but there’s nothing quite as luxurious as having a heat source in your bed; and with sales soaring this winter, it’s clear electric blankets are back in fashion. Obvious benefi ts include being able to turn your thermostat down at night which will save a signifi cant amount on your energy bill, as well as keeping you cosy on the sofa when having an evening in front of the telly.

4. Thermal curtains Windows are one of the main places heat escapes from in your home, and by investing in some thick thermal curtains, you can at least limit money fl ying out of them. Just be sure to draw them as soon as the night rolls in.

5. Chimney balloon Those fortunate enough to have a functioning hearth this winter will certainly benefi t from the low-cost heat it produces. However, anyone with a chimney that doesn’t function as a fi replace can invest in an infl atable chimney balloon for preserving warmth in your home. Failing that, a couple of old pillows will have a similar effect.

6. Refl ect your radiators

Fit refl ector panels behind your radiators to maximise heat effi ciency. These ensure heat is bounced back into the room and not allowed to escape through an exterior wall.

For a homemade option, simply attach some cardboard lined with foil behind your heater.