Winter-Proofing your Home
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Winter-Proofing your Home. There has been a big change in Spain recently and electric is now charged at different rates depending on when it is being used. Keep you electricity costs down with thick curtains and rugs, to help keep in the heat!
Soft furnishings are a great way to make your home look fabulous but also to help save some cash! Statistics say that UP TO 40% of the heat in your home can be lost through windows.
In a sunny climate like here in southern Spain, simply opening your curtains to let in the natural light and warmth of the Winter sun will really go a long way in heating up your home so that as the evening draws in and the sun sets, the house is already feeling a pleasant temperature. Once the sun has set is the time to pull the curtains closed. Thick lined curtains will stop the warmth leaving your rooms so easily in turn meaning that you won’t need to put the fire on as soon as it drops dark and when you do flick on the heating the temperature will be easier to maintain.
Curtains are not just for windows ! A draughty doorframe or arch way is also easily blocked using a door curtain , any thick curtain will work as long as it covers the door or arch and it should fit fairly close to the wall ( maybe with a track and pencil pleat heading ) as well as being long enough to reach the floor – draught excluders are another simple but effective way to prevent cold air entering , these come as strips that can be purchased from the hardware store or from ourselves at Yorkshire Linen in the form like a sausage dog or a very long cat !
Put rugs down during the winter . Rugs trap cold air underneath stopping it seeping up into your room and cooling the air . Not only can a rug be a focal point of a room but they make your feet feel warm and toasty rather than walking on a cold marble or concrete floor.
Bedtime can be a cold affair here in the winter . Not only can your bed feel freezing but it can actually be damp as the houses here in Spain often don’t have central heating and not so well insulated . An electric blanket is ideal bed companion to combat both dampness and the chill . Pop your electric blanket on for 30 minutes before you go to bed and switch it off as you jump in.
The energy consumption is tiny but the benefits are enormous as there nothing nicer than getting into a warm and dry bed and sleeping like a baby .Hot water bottles are another cheap and effective way to maintain your body temperature under the covers or on the sofa
As a rule of thumb we always advice to our customers that you cant take the filling out of a duvet but you can always add another layer on top so light or medium weight duvet with a blanket or throw on the end of the bed to use when needed really works well during the very variable, Spanish Winter nights!