WHAT THE TUCK?
The 2-second ‘tucking’ hack that heats your home twice as fast this winter – it’s completely free & slashes energy bills
And scroll down for 5 other ways to keep your house warm in winter
WITH the clocks going back this weekend, the darker and colder nights are not far away.
And while many are worrying about energy bills, there's a good chance you've already switched the heating on.
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But you could be making a very simple yet costly mistake when heating your home.
We’re all guilty of common household energy-wasting habits - like leaving lights on for hours or forgetting to turn off appliances.
Well, it turns out an interiors blunder could be bumping up your energy bills too.
Window shutter specialists at revealed that we are blocking vital heat circulation by closing the curtains across the radiators.
So while it might look cosy, it's actually making your rooms colder.
To maximise efficiency, we should be tucking our curtains behind the radiator or folding and leaving them up on the windowsill instead.
The team at California Shutters said: "When we draw our curtains over a radiator, the heat is absorbed by the nearest cold surface — usually the window — effectively warming up the glass instead of our rooms.
"And no one wants to waste energy heating their windows!
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"By simply tucking the curtains behind the radiator or leaving them on the windowsill, the heat from the radiator can properly circulate throughout the room.
"At the same time, the curtains are also acting as a barrier preventing heat from escaping through windows."
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It is thought that windows can account for a significant amount of heat loss in the home, typically around 18% to 30%.
And closing curtains over a radiator can reduce heating efficiency by 15-30% in a well-insulated home, according to Nick Duggan, Managing Director of .
In poorly insulated homes with single-glazed windows, that number can rise to as much as 50%.
“Losing heat through your windows forces your heating system to work harder, resulting in higher energy consumption,” says Nick.
“Blocking radiators with curtains can increase heating bills by 10-20% over time.”
In a typical medium-sized room, 20-30% of the heat generated by a radiator can be lost due to closed curtains, which amounts to 300-600 watts of wasted energy.
This is equivalent to running a small heater with no effect on room temperature.
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To prevent this heat loss and reduce energy consumption, remember to adjust your curtains whenever the radiator is on.
A small change can have a big impact on heating efficiency, especially during the colder months.
5 ways to keep your house warm in winter
Property expert Joshua Houston shared his tips.
1. Curtains
"Windows are a common place for the outside cold to get into your home, this is because of small gaps that can let in air so always close your curtains as soon as it gets dark," he said.
This simple method gives you an extra layer of warmth as it can provide a kind of "insulation" between your window and curtain.
2. Rugs
"Your floor is another area of your home where heat can be lost and can make your home feel chilly," he continued. "You might notice on cold days, that your floor is not nice to walk on due to it freezing your feet.
"Add rugs to areas that don’t already have a carpet, this provides a layer of insulation between your bare floor and the room above."
3. Check your insulation
Check your pipes, loft space, crawlspaces and underneath floorboards.
"Loose-fill insulation is very good for this, and is a more affordable type of insulation, with a big bag being able to be picked up for around £30," Joshua explained.
4. Keep your internal doors closed
"Household members often gather in one room in the evening, and this is usually either the kitchen or living room," Joshua said.
"This means you only have to heat a small area of your home, and closing the doors keeps the heat in and the cold out."
5. Block drafts
Don't forget to check cat flaps, chimneys and letterboxes, as they can let in cold air if they aren't secure.
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