How to Minimise Heat Loss in Your Home

In the midst of this seemingly never-ending energy crisis, the general public is becoming increasingly concerned with methods for saving money on their bills. Sure, you can make adjustments to your lifestyle, such as choosing a cheaper supermarket or taking less lavish holidays. However, one of the most significant, impactful things you can do for your yearly spend is understand heat loss in your home and how to minimise it. 

This article will offer guidance on how to reduce heat loss in homes, touching on quick, cheaper fixes and more permanent, investment-focused solutions. Use it as a guide to lead your decisions this winter and beyond. 

Quick fixes

After you calculate heat loss in your home, you’re going to want to apply some quick fixes to get things back on track. The first step? On-the-go draught proofing, which means sealing up the obvious gaps largely responsible for temperature leakage. Make sure to check areas such as: 

• Door and window edges and bottoms
• Keyholes and letterboxes 
• Chimneys
• Floorboards and skirting boards

Any of these draught hotspots should be dealt with quickly, using cheap, easy solutions such as self-adhesive rubber strips, draught excluders, wood filler, thick rugs and carpets or even chimney balloons. 

Window & curtain strategy (fast fixes)

Windows can be a massive source of heat loss, even when closed or not particularly draughty. Older windows, especially single-glazed ones, could be significant sources of transfer. However, this can be at least somewhat rectified quite cheaply. One of the easiest, most affordable ways to do so is through installing heavy, thermal-lined curtains and drawing them shut as soon as the sun goes down or on much chillier days. 

You can also install a thin, plastic form of double glazing to enhance insulation. It’s a cheap, relatively easy DIY method for reducing heat loss in a house. 

Larger insulation projects

If you’re looking to reduce your air leakage permanently and can afford to make a larger investment, you should consider enhancing your home’s building envelope with proper insulation. Yes, many of these projects are expensive, but some of them might have potential for grant assistance, depending on your local council. 

Garage insulation

Garage heating can feel like a lost cause, with these spaces widely accepted as significant temperature loss sinks for the entirety of a property. Installing some new insulated garage doors could make a huge difference to your overall energy bill. 

Loft insulation

Heat rises, which means a massive amount of heat can be lost through a roof without proper insulation. Old loft spaces can be enhanced with wools, foams and fibreglass rolls. 

Wall & floor insulation

Much of the heat loss in your home is likely caused by insufficient wall and floor insulation, which can be enhanced through a range of different techniques. 

• Cavity walls need to be insulated with materials blown in by professionals
• Solid walls can be insulated with internal boards or external materials
• Floors can be insulated with thick foam boards, wools and more

Insulation can make a huge impact, so while it might be initially expensive, it’s definitely worth considering as an investment. 

HVAC system efficiency measures

Along with blocking the loss of heat, you can also work towards a more representative bill through enhancing your household heating systems. 

• Bleed your radiators
• Using radiator reflectors
• Insulating hot water pipes and tanks
• Installing TRVs to control individual room temperatures

Starting at the source can help to increase efficiency, reducing the effects of heat loss in your home. 

Taking the time to minimise heat loss is important in today’s energy economy. Balance your lower-level solutions with more permanent fixes for the utmost budgetary control, and guarantee a more predictable, less frustrating energy bill at the end of each month.