Maintaining a balance between maximum comfort at home and minimum expenditure is a difficult task, but one we return to every year whenever the days and nights get colder
Equipment such as air conditioning is the most efficient climate control system, but there are also several simple and inexpensive tricks you can use to keep your home warmer and cosier when the thermometer drops.
1. ATTENTION TO ISOLATION
To avoid losing thermal efficiency and spending more on energy consumption, your home must be well insulated. Pay attention to the roof, ceiling, walls, floor, windows and doors, as these are the main points to insulate in order to achieve better thermal comfort.
However, good insulation may be out of your budget, so you could opt for more economical solutions instead. Check all your doors and windows thoroughly to see if there are any places where the cold can seep in. For those that remain closed, you can opt for solutions such as caulking tape or insulating adhesive tape and long rolls of wadded fabric, also known as ‘chorizos’.
2. CHOOSE AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
Once you have ensured that your home is effectively insulated, you need to make sure that you have the main ally to keep you warm and cosy inside: heating or air conditioning equipment.
There are various types of equipment to combat the cold. Air conditioning is the most complete and efficient solution, as it can be used all year round to combat both cold and hot spells without excessive energy costs. What's more, it can heat or cool more than one room in the house.
3. CLOSE DOORS AND ROOMS TO KEEP WARM
Cold or hot air is distributed throughout the house and ends up reducing the temperature in the most important rooms. Close doors in areas you don't really need to use, to preserve the heat in the rooms where you spend the most time. And try to make more use of small rooms, which allow you to raise the temperature quickly with air conditioning equipment, and then maintain it better without having to run them constantly.
4. FOLLOW THE MOVEMENT OF THE SUN
The most affordable heater we have at our disposal is the sun, which can ‘charge the batteries’ of people and animals, but also of houses. In this case we're not talking about photovoltaic panels - an investment that also pays off handsomely - but actually letting sunlight heat our home.
Try to open shutters, curtains or blinds wide in the rooms with the most exposure to the sun's rays, and close them tightly when it's dark or the sun is out. This way you heat rooms during the day and keep them cosy for several hours.
5. FREE THE WINDOWS FROM OBSTACLES
Avoid tree branches or bulky plants obstructing your windows, especially if they have evergreen leaves that stay in place over the winter. These are obstacles that prevent the sun's rays from entering your home properly.
6. SPRUCE UP THE HOUSE
The circulation and renewal of air in the home is crucial and can even be an ally in improving thermal comfort. On the one hand, 5 minutes of open doors or windows is enough to renew the air in a house, or 10 minutes if you have smaller windows.
Ideally, cross-ventilation - opening windows at opposite points - generates a current of air throughout the house and speeds up the renovation process. On the other hand, if this is done at a time and place when the sun is beating down, it helps to raise the temperature in those areas, and therefore in the whole house.
7. INDIVIDUAL COMFORT BLANKETS
Who doesn't like curling up in a blanket on the sofa in front of the telly? Always have several blankets on hand, the warmer and fluffier the better. They won't heat the house, but they often bring the comfort we need, especially when we're alone and don't need to walk around the house. If you spend a lot of time at your desk and computer but don't want to switch on a heater, a blanket covering your legs will also increase comfort and no one will notice it in the middle of a work meeting via videoconference.
8. CHOOSE DARK COLOURS
Black and other dark colours attract more heat, helping to maintain the temperature. Changing the curtains in autumn may be a complicated task if you've opted for lighter colours when decorating your home, but changing the cushion covers - or even the sofa, if possible - to darker shades will increase the thermal comfort of the room.
9. USE CANDLES, BUT CAREFULLY
There are colourful, aromatic candles in different sizes and shapes, and with varying levels of durability. Scatter them around your home to create a more cosy, even romantic atmosphere, providing a light and more localised source of warmth. However, be careful where you place the candles, away from flammable materials, and don't forget to blow them out when you leave or go to bed.
10. BET ON CARPETS
The simple minimalist style is effective in terms of design, but it can create slightly colder environments at home. Thick, fluffy carpets help to reinforce comfort in all types of rooms, especially if the floor is stone or ceramic (wood keeps the temperature better, underfloor heating is more expensive).
11. SPEND MORE TIME IN THE KITCHEN
There are those who don't like the smell of food and those who love the aroma coming from the pots on the cooker or the oven, but one thing everyone appreciates: the warmth of a fully functioning kitchen in winter. This is when meals are more like ‘pot meals’ and ‘oven meals’, which take longer to cook and are served very hot.
Whether it's just a few minutes a day during the week or long hours on Saturdays and Sundays, ditch the food delivery apps and try to cook more in winter. You'll keep warm for as long as you're in the kitchen, raise the temperature of the other rooms a little by distributing the heat, and save money on meal preparation, whether it's soup, a longer roast in the oven or a cake to go with a hot cup of tea. Don't forget to make the most of your oven by cooking as many dishes as possible at the same time.
All these tips help to improve the thermal comfort of your home at almost no cost, and you can return to them every year when the cold starts to set in, even if you invest in efficient air conditioning systems.
These are tricks that both help you withstand the cold in a house without air conditioning and keep your energy bills down when it's running. By following them you're making your life comfortable, but also promoting energy efficiency and sustainability.
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