As the temperature drops in the colder months, your heating usage might go up to around nine hours a day more, which equates to up to 45 hours more over an average week.

If you’re looking to minimise costs and increase your energy savings, get started on winter proofing your home.

Here are five simple tips to keep warm and heat up your savings.

1. Rug up

During the day, rugging up with jumpers and blankets in the warmer parts of the day helps with the chill, leaving you to use your heater in the cooler evening.

Adding carpets and rugs to your living space is a great way to reduce the amount of heat escaping through the floors and has the added benefit of making your home look a little cosier.

2. Take advantage of the sunshine

The temperature may have dropped but the autumn sun is still shining bright enough to offer up some warmth.

Keep curtains and blinds open during the day and make the most of the natural light, you’d be surprised by how much heat gets let in.

3. Seal the heat in

Once you’ve let the heat in, you’re going to want to keep it there.

Seal the leaks around windows, doors and vents with cost-effective rubber weather strips.

It’s one of the easiest and cheapest ways to increase energy savings.

4. You can still enjoy a hot shower

There’s nothing more enjoyable than a hot shower on a cold day but check that your heater isn’t set to max.

Turning the heat down even just a little doesn’t mean you’ll have to have a cold shower but it will mean throwing cold water on your energy bills.

5. Get in the zone

It’s inevitable for the heater to get switched on at some point but heating wisely will minimise your energy costs. 

Every degree you add to your thermostat will also add dollars to your bill.

Zone the room you’re in by closing doors and window and rug up before you turn the heater so you don’t heat up the room more than necessary.