Quick wins for a warmer home

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These measures are quick and easy to do, and cost nothing, or very little. You don't need any consents or permissions, and you should be able to put them into practice without hiring or paying a professional.

Insulate your home

Reduce heat loss with DIY insulation. Draughts mean cold air getting into your home, and warm air escaping. Home-made insulation can cut down on lost heat, and make your home cheaper to keep warm.

Between floorboards

Block gaps between floorboards to avoid heat loss. Wedge timber offcuts in large gaps, use sealant from a DIY store, or stuff folded cardboard, such as old loo roll centres, into smaller cracks.

Around doors

Add a draught excluder at the bottom of doors, made from tights or sewn-up trouser legs, stuffed with old clothes. Attach strips of fabric or belts around the edges of doors. Fix a curtain rail or a pole above external doors, and hang curtains or blankets to keep out cold air in winter.

Around windows

Hang curtains at all of your windows. Use a pole and blankets (or sheets, if you want to let daylight in) if you can't afford curtains. Shut the curtains as soon as it starts to get dark, and outside temperatures drop, to keep the warmth inside.

Behind letterboxes

Use a strip of fabric at the back of your letterbox, attached at the top, to keep cold air from blowing in.

In the roof

If you have no loft insulation, or very little, lay old blankets or duvets between the rafters. For safety, make sure the rafters are still visible, if your loft isn't boarded.

Up the chimney

You can block cold air coming down your chimney by making a temporary 'balloon'. Stuff old clothing and newspapers into a bag, and wedge it into an open chimney. Leave a cord hanging down, for easy removal. Put a note into the fireplace to remind yourself to remove the balloon before lighting a fire!

Keep warm in winter

These simple steps can help you stay warm and use your heating as efficiently as possible:

Keep the heat in

Shut internal doors to rooms you’re not using so you’re only heating the spaces you need.
Close blinds and curtains at dusk, to reduce heat loss through windows
Use draught excluders under your doors.

Know your heating control basics

Use this Age UK How to use your heating controls guide to make sure you understand your home's heating system and how to get the most from it.
Try to heat your home to at least 18 degrees C.
If you have them, use thermostatic valves (TRVs) on the radiators themselves to make the individual radiators give out more or less heat
If you have night-storage heaters, set the “input” higher on cold days and keep the “output” low overnight to avoid wasting stored heat.

Warm yourself, not just your home

Wear several thin layers of clothing rather than one thick one - layers trap warm air better.
Keep your feet, hands and head warm with thick socks, slippers, and a hat or scarf if you feel the cold.
Use blankets or throws when sitting still, especially in the evenings.

Use electric blankets and heaters safely

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for electric blankets and have them checked regularly if they’re old.
Never use an electric blanket and a hot water bottle at the same time.
If you use a portable heater do not place it too close to curtains, furniture and drying clothes, and don’t leave it on while you sleep
Make sure your carbon monoxide alarm is working. Test it regularly.

Look after yourself and others

If possible, try to move around a bit at least once every hour.
Have regular hot drinks and at least one hot meal a day if you can.
Check in on neighbours, friends and relatives who may find it harder to keep warm and share these tips with them.

Find out more

The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) has a wealth of tips to help you keep warm this winter and save money on your energy use.

View the CSE guide to keeping warm cheaply

What's your next step?

If you want to make bigger and more longlasting changes to your heating costs, you could consider energy efficiency upgrades, or retrofitting. Measures like secondary glazing or loft insulation can be a lot simpler and cheaper than you think - especially when there's lots of funding help available. Let us show you how!

Explore home upgrades

Check out funding and grants