SIMPLE WAYS TO KAE YOUR LIVING ROOM FEEL WARMER
When it’s a little chilly, homeowners are constantly looking for ways to make their homes feel warmer. The living room, the place where we spend the most time relaxing and entertaining, is an important space to keep warm. Luckily, there are some great, simple tricks to make your living room feel warmer.
Below, heating expert Matthew Jenkins at MyJobQuote.co.uk will go over some great tips on how to make your lounge feel warmer.
Add Textiles
Textiles can help give your living room a much warmer vibe due to their layering effect. If you have any blankets, they can work great if you throw them over the sofa. Curtains are also very useful as they help to block out the outdoors, prevent the precious heat from escaping, keep the draughts at bay, and they also give your windows a much better appearance. Cushions are also great for placing on the couch, as they can add additional layers and be used for lounging. Focus on a few simple textile additions to the living room, as you don’t want the space to become too overcrowded.
Put Down a Cosy Rug
When your floors are left bare, they can often feel quite cold, especially if you have hard floors such as hardwood or stone. You can lose a lot of the heat from your living room through these types of floors. If you add a rug, this can help prevent some of the heat from being lost in this way. Rugs also feel much cosier underfoot, making your home feel much warmer, more comfortable and cosy. The fluffier the rug, the better, as a fluffy, cosy rug will help to add some additional texture to the room as well.
Move Your Sofa
If you put your sofa in front of the radiator, your sofa will absorb all of the heat from the radiator. This is heat that could be used to keep your living room warm. If you move your sofa away from the radiator, this can help the hot air circulate properly around the room. The same thing goes for other things that may be covering the radiators, such as large pieces of furniture or curtains. Try to keep anything away from the front of the radiator so that you can get the most out of the heating. Alternatively, you may prefer to hire a professional to move your radiator to a different location in the room.
Block Out Draughts
Sometimes, something as simple as a fun and quirky draught excluder can help to keep your lounge warm while also adding a bit of decor and character. Adding draught-proofing solutions to your windows and doors can also make a big difference in the amount of heat that is lost and the amount of cold draughts that can enter the home. Self-adhesive rubber seals are perfect for keeping the draughts at bay. These are pretty easy to install yourself as a DIY project. Things such as a letterbox draught excluder, a bit of caulk, and a draught excluder at the bottom of the door can also make your lounge feel much warmer, especially if your front door leads into the living room.
Use Some Heat Reflectors
Heat reflectors are brilliant for helping to make your lounge feel much warmer. You can purchase these reflectors for quite cheap. Plus, they are quite easy to install, so you will be able to complete this as a DIY project without spending any additional money on hiring a professional to do it for you. Radiator heat reflectors work by reflecting all of the heat from your radiator back into the room. The panels are placed at the back of the radiator against your wall. They prevent heat from being lost through the wall and, instead, project the heat forward into the room, so it will feel much warmer.
Bleed Your Radiators
It is important to check your radiators regularly to make sure they are working effectively. This is particularly important during the winter months, as you may find that you are spending more money than you need to on your energy bills. If you find any cold spots on your radiators, this is a sign that there may be air trapped inside. The trapped air can prevent warm water from travelling through the radiators properly, and this can result in it taking much longer to reach the right temperature. The best way to get rid of cold spots in your radiators is to bleed them. To do this, you will need to open up the bleed valve using a radiator key and then allow the trapped air to escape. After you’ve done this, the whole radiator will be able to warm up properly, making your living room feel much warmer.
Make Good Use of Your Curtains
Sunlight produces heat for free, so it’s important to make the most of it when possible. Open your curtains and allow the sunlight to flood in during the day to make the most of this free heat. When the sun goes down, shut your curtains. Your curtains act as an additional layer of insulation and help to keep the warmth in the room. Make sure there are no gaps or leaks to ensure the warm air stays in the room and the cold air stays outside. This can also help to reduce condensation.
Consider Your Loft Insulation
If your loft isn’t insulated properly, you may be losing a lot of the heat from your home. Loft insulation boards or rolls of loft insulation could work wonders in helping to minimise the amount of heat that escapes through your loft and roof. Although this does require an initial investment, you can add loft insulation as a DIY project to save some money. Loft insulation is an investment that will pay off in the long run, as you can save a considerable amount on your energy bills. This is because less warm air can escape through the roof, and less cold air can enter the home, meaning your home is easier to heat and stay warm for longer. This means you won’t have to have your heating on as long, and your boiler won’t have to work as hard to keep your home at your desired temperature.
Use an Electric Blanket or Throw
Electric blankets are extremely cost-effective and act as a great way to keep you warm when you go to bed or when you’re chilling on the sofa. These blankets are far cheaper to run than central heating, and many cost just a few pence per hour, even on the highest setting. Many modern heated blankets feature self-timers, which allow you to set a time when they come on and a time when they go off, making them perfect for keeping on the bed. This can also help to reduce costs even further.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are many great, simple ways to help keep your living room warmer during the cold winter months. By implementing a few of these tips, you can ensure your living room remains cosy and warm throughout the season.
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR… MATTHEW JENKINS
Matthew Jenkins has worked as a self-employed tradesman in the domestic heating industry for over fifteen years. Matthew is a gas-safe engineer specialising in heating and plumbing. He also works closely with MyJobQuote to provide expert knowledge to homeowners and tradespeople and has been featured in a range of established news outlets.
