As autumn arrives and cooler evenings set in, households across the UK are being urged to adopt a simple trick that could make homes warmer without turning up the heating. An electrician has revealed the best time to open and close your curtains to help retain heat and reduce energy bills as temperatures begin to dip.
James Harrison, an electrician at Fusion Electrical, explained that curtains and blinds do much more than provide privacy, they play a key role in regulating warmth.
He said: “During daylight hours, keep your curtains and blinds open if sunlight is streaming through your windows.
“This allows natural solar heat to warm your rooms.
“After sunset, close them again. This simple action helps form a barrier that retains the warmth you’ve already gathered.”
The advice comes as families brace for rising energy costs this winter. Harrison stressed that windows are one of the biggest culprits for heat loss in UK homes, even in well-maintained properties.
“A considerable amount of warmth can leak through the glass,” he said.
He added: “Heavier curtains offer superior insulation, particularly if your home has older or single-glazed windows. For even greater effectiveness, layering curtains over blinds can reduce draughts and prevent heat from escaping as quickly.”
James also pointed out that cold air can creep in from less obvious places such as keyholes, electrical outlets, vents and gaps around doors.
“Simple solutions like draught excluders, outlet covers, or a strip of caulking could prevent that valuable heat from escaping before you even notice,” he added.
While these steps can’t fully replace central heating, they can help ease the burden.
He added: “None of these solutions will substitute for your central heating, but collectively they could minimise the warmth you lose and lessen the strain on your energy expenses.”
You can also use other nifty tips to retain warmth in your home and ease the financial burden that comes with heating bills.
Other tips to keep your home warm:
-
Seal gaps: Use weather stripping, foam strips or draught excluders to block cold air at doors and windows.
-
Use curtains wisely: Open them during sunny days, close them as soon as the sun sets. Thermal linings can add extra insulation.
-
Insulate pipes and tanks: Prevent heat loss by lagging pipes and insulating hot water cylinders.
-
Boost radiator performance: Bleed radiators to remove trapped air, and use radiator reflectors to direct heat back into rooms.
-
Improve comfort: Add rugs to floors, rearrange furniture away from external walls, and consider space heaters for single rooms.
By combining these small but effective steps, homeowners could see a noticeable improvement in warmth while cutting back on energy use, something many will welcome as colder weather sets in.
