Are you looking for ways to make your flat or small property warmer in the winter?
If you’re struggling to keep your home as warm as it should be, despite the heating being on full blast, it’s never any fun. As an experienced heating engineer in Edinburgh, I’m approached about this issue a lot. Especially as there are so many older buildings in the city!
Below, I’m going to list six ways you could potentially make your flat or small property warmer. But first…
Why is my home not getting warm enough?
There are many reasons why your home might not be keeping you warm enough. For instance, you may own an end-terraced ground floor flat, or a basement flat with very little sun.
Perhaps you own a detached stone-built cottage with stone floors. It could even be that your home is simply north-facing!
Especially in older properties with no thermal insulation, you’ll often find your home loses a lot more heat than in newer builds with insulation fitted under the concrete screed.
If any of the above applies to you, you’ll find your home is much colder than, say, a middle floor flat with neighbours above, below and on both sides of your property.
TIP: For more information and ideas, read my blog post ‘5 Reasons Why Your House Isn’t Getting Warm Enough’.
So. what can you do to help make your flat or small property warmer? Well, here are a few suggestions:
1. Fit a programmable room thermostat
One way to try and ensure your home is always kept above a minimum temperature, is to fit a programmable room thermostat. You can easily use a set back temperature, as opposed to turning your heating off completely. They’re also relatively easy to install, and should give you more control over your home’s heating.
2. See if your boiler’s thermostat is set to maximum
A common mistake is that many homeowners don’t have their boiler’s thermostat set to maximum. This means that your radiators aren’t getting as hot as they could, as the boiler is only set to go up to a certain temperature. When your thermostats are set to maximum, your radiators should be getting so hot that you can’t touch them.
3. Check your radiators are working efficiently
If you’ve set your boiler’s thermostat to maximum, but your radiators aren’t getting hot enough, it’s possible they could be sludged up. You can normally tell if your radiators are only getting hot at the top, or if there are cooler patches.
TIP: Take a look at my blog post, ‘5 Symptoms and Fixes for Boilers Failing to Heat Properly’ for more advice.
4. Fit larger radiators for extra warmth
Are your radiators are getting very hot, but your rooms still aren’t feeling particularly warm? You may have to fit additional radiators, or increase the size of your radiators. However, it’s best to consult with an engineer before doing this, to ensure your boiler will be able to cope.
5. Search for any drafts and insulation
It’s always a good idea to check your home to see if any drafts are coming in. There’s no point in burning more fuel to make the place hotter if you’re losing heat through a leaky home.
Your property can lose a lot of heat through ill-fitting windows and doors. You should also check where you could install additional insulation. For instance, if you live in a bungalow and there’s access underneath, it may be worth fitting insulation under the floor.
6. Check your boiler isn’t undersized
Another reason your home isn’t getting warm enough is that your boiler may be undersized. This could especially be the case if your property has had extension work carried out.
We recently visited a customer who owned a bungalow, with relatively new attic bedrooms and a downstairs extension. All the new additions were very warm as they were built with thick insulation, however the original part of the house was cold. It turned out the boiler was undersized with all the extension work.
We were able to replace the old boiler with a higher output, high-efficiency boiler. We then insulated under the floorboards, as they were polished floors allowing cold drafts through the house. Now, his only issue is the house can get too hot! So, he has to turn the thermostat down.
Advice from an experienced heating engineer
If you’re unsure of the reason why your flat or small property isn’t getting warm enough, the best advice I can give you is to call a heating engineer for advice. They should be able to visit your home and see what solutions they can come up with.
Conclusion
I hope this blog has been helpful when looking for ways to make your flat or small property warmer. It might be worth trying a few of the tips mentioned above to see if they could make a difference to your home – however, I’d definitely recommend consulting an experienced engineer to conduct a home visit to see what solutions they can come up with.
Do you have any questions about how to make your home warmer? Feel free to leave them in the comments, or get in touch with me directly.
