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2022 is a La Niña year - a rare third in a row. 

A La Niña year relates to cooler than average sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The subsequent consequences of this are intense, stormier and colder conditions, with increased rainfall and a higher chance of snow. 

So - if you haven’t winterised your property, now is an excellent time to do so. Taking these actions will protect your family from the elements, and a properly insulated home can be a great tool to lower your heating costs during the Cost of Living Crisis while potentially adding value to your home.

1. Insulate the Property - Heat is easily lost from your home if you fail to insulate the property adequately. Various areas of the property are prone to heat loss. These can include exterior walls, the roof, doors and windows. Loft insulation is a good place to start, by adding a fleecy base layer and preventing rising heat from evaporating into the atmosphere. Cavity wall insulation is another area to consider, as this area will prevent heat from billowing out of the side of the home. Lag heating pipes to prevent them from freezing during periods of extreme temperatures. These examples of basic insulation will make a huge difference to the heat levels within your home.

2. Get a New Boiler - Old and dated boilers are unreliable, expensive to run and prone to breakdowns over the winter months. Fit an A-rated boiler though and not only will this run with greater efficiency over the winter months, it’ll be less temperamental and it could reduce your winter fuel bill by anywhere up to 25 per cent.

3. Have your Central Heating Serviced - Take care of your central heating now and this should prevent any potential problems as the winter embraces your home. Getting your boiler serviced isn’t a bad idea, you might want to power flush your radiators or give them a bleed, to remove air from the system and reduce the chances of cold spots. Have a heating service now and you reduce the chances of it breaking down as temperatures drop outside.

4. Update Windows and Doors - Poorly fitting doors and weather-worn windows are another cause of heat loss within the home. Draughty, single-glazed windows are some of the worst culprits as they offer very little in the way of insulation. Double and triple-glazed options are best. They add a protective barrier as do snug-fitting UPVC or composite doors. Fit them and your home benefits from high levels of thermal efficiency.

5. Window insulation film - Window insulation film is easy to find in any hardware store or online. The kits include a plastic shrink film to apply to the indoor window frame with double-sided tape before you heat it with a hair dryer to remove any wrinkles and shrink the film. It’s a cheap and effective method, but your windows will have a cloudy and shrink-wrapped look.

6. Rubber weather sealing - Like insulation film, rubber weather sealing is easy to buy online or in hardware stores. All you need to do is cut long strips to fit the dimensions of your windows and then peel and stick the sealing to the frame to close any gaps, eliminating drafts. Rubber sealing is a cheap and effective solution that has a minimal impact on the look of your windows. You can, however, potentially damage paint or leave a sticky residue when removing the seal.

7. Draft snakes - Draft snakes are simply fabric tubes that you place under a window sill or door to prevent drafts. You can buy them in a variety of great designs, or you can make your own to fit your windows by sewing a tube of fabric and filling it with dry rice. Whilst this offers you a cheap and easy crafting project, it only prevents a draft from coming from the window sill, still letting out plenty of heating through the rest of the frame and the window itself.

8. Cellular shades or blinds - If you want natural light in your home whilst receiving insulation, you may wish to try cellular shades. You can order them to custom-fit your windows in the home and design shops. You can also have them made for doorways. The only problem is that they don’t insulate as well as other options, such as curtains.

9. Layered curtains Using multiple heavy fabrics can provide a decent amount of insulation for your windows. However, you will end up blocking out the majority of natural light. Layering curtains can make your living room interior design look amazing, but you will not be able to see it due to the lack of light. Buying heavy curtains to layer is quite expensive, too. The best investment you can make this winter to save on your heating costs is a new set of windows.

* Allan Reid is a spokesperson for Art Windows & Doors *

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Re. No. 3 On old central heating systems you might NOT want to power flush your radiators. Good plumber has advised me that this can cause leaks in old pipe joints. Flushing through, without power, can clean out rust and dirt deposits, including with a cleaner additive. You may wish to add rust inhibitor when re-filling. And I understand bleeding rads. not only reduces cold spots and increases efficiency, but also will reduce rust where trapped and water meet.

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