How to prepare your home for winter

Reduce heat loss and draughts 

You can significantly reduce heat loss and draughts by making small changes in your home. Simple draught proofing around your windows and doors could save you £40 per year*. You don’t always need a professional installer or DIY skills to help reduce draughts. Here are some simple things you can do:

• close your curtains at dusk to keep the heat in
• consider putting up thermal door curtains on your front and back doors
• place a draught excluder at the bottom of your external doors
• lay a rug over stone, vinyl or laminate flooring
• stick some reflective radiator foil behind your radiator to reflect heat back into the room that would otherwise be lost through the wall.

Read Energy Saving Trust’s guide on draught proofing to learn more.

Learn how to use your heating controls 

As well as turning your heating systems on and off, heating controls allow you to choose the temperature in each room. 

Using your heating controls effectively can help you save money and stay warmer. However, research has shown that few people really understand their controls, and many don’t use them. 

Nowadays, you can get controls that allow you to adjust your heating from your smart phone, making it easier than ever to keep your energy costs low. Now would be a great time to consider installing or upgrading your heating controls in time for winter. 

Read our guide on heating controls to find out how they could save you money.

Protect your pipes 

As winter approaches and temperatures drop, it’s important to prepare your home for the colder weather. Your pipes could be at risk of freezing or bursting, which could leave you with unexpected damages and costs.  

Read Energy Saving Trust’s guide on how to insulate your tanks and pipes. 

Get the best energy deal 

Ensuring you’ve got the best energy deal could make a big difference to your bills this winter.

Market comparison websites such as Compare the Market can help you decide which energy supplier is best for you. Your energy supplier must also tell you what the cheapest, most suitable tariff for you should be, based on your energy use. They usually include this information on your bill.

We know that energy tariffs can be confusing. We'll guide you through: 

• the differences between fixed-rate and variable-rate tariffs; 
• what to consider before switching suppliers; and 
• help you ensure that your energy use is sustainable. 

Read our guide to learn about the different types of tariffs.

If you’re worried about your energy bills this winter, we’re here to help.  

*Based on a typical three bedroom semi-detached gas heated home, using an average gas price of 6p/kWh and an average electricity price of 25p/kWh. Correct as of October 2024.