10 Steps to Stay Warm In Winter

Prepare to get snug – and save on energy bills – with effective ways to combat the cold in your home

- By Alison Jones

1 Lofty ambition

Almost a third of your heat might be escaping through the roof and warming the toes of lucky pigeons. Get your attic properly insulated and you could cut your energy bills by up to 20 per cent. The depth recommended for loft insulation laid between the joists is between 220-270ml, depending on the material used. These include glass or rock wool and brown cellulose (from recycled newspapers). You could also consider polyurethane (PU) foam, which is sprayed on and expands to offer high insulation values.

2 Shut that door

Original wooden front doors may look charmingly authentic, but if they’re warped or cracked they could let in the cold. Building regulations have introduced a maximum u-value of 1.8W/m2K on front doors, and a typical old hardwood door would be between 2.5 and 3. Composite doors look like natural timber but are a mix of other materials less susceptible to the elements, including PVC, wood, steel, aluminium, insulating foam and glass reinforced plastic. They won’t warp in a hard winter and are also energy efficient.

3 Add a layer