Maintaining warmth at home is essential to stay cosy and healthy throughout the winter. Getting in after a cold day to a warm home is so pleasant and comforting. If you are looking for smart ways to keep your home warmer this winter, follow this guide.

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Outside features

Although most people associate being warm with being inside, you might want to make use of your garden too. Although you can wear a coat and lots of layers, it isn’t quite the same feeling as you’d get with outside features and furnishings. 

For instance, kitting your garden out with a box of blankets, warm cushions, and a fire pit will ensure that you can have fun outside while staying warm throughout the winter. 

Using customised fire pits from a company like S&S Fire Pits will ensure that you get the look and size that you want to suit your garden and winter needs.

Log fires

Speaking of fire pits, the warmth that you get from natural flames is like no other. It is super cosy and more cost-effective in the long run. So, if you want to save some money on your heating bills then why not make use of your log fire?

You should ensure to get your chimney cleaned once a year to get rid of potential dangers and blockages. Then, you can make use of your fire throughout the winter to stay warm and cosy. 

If you don’t have a log fire in your home, it is something to consider to save you money and also feel super cosy throughout the winter months.

Close your curtains

Although you might not think that open curtains can hinder the warmth of a home, they can. Closing your curtains will ensure to trap the heat in and not let it escape or come into contact with the cold windows. 

Fix your windows

Should you have damaged windows, you will want to consider fixing them immediately so that no air can escape. Leaking air will hinder the warmth of your home and you will be throwing money away. 

Maximum insulation

To maximise the potential of your heating, it helps to use insulation. Like curtains, insulation will trap the heat inside so that the temperature can be maintained. 

Poorly insulated windows or doors can lead to heat loss. Yet, your home is more likely to lose up to 30% of the heated air in winter through the roof. Indeed, there could be two main issues when it comes to under-roof insulation. Firstly, your insulation solution lets the cold air through, and the warm air out. This can be remediated with professional insulation services. Secondly, your insulation is getting damp because the roof structure has a leak. If this is the case, you want to reachout to professional roofing engineers, such as the Able Roofing team, who can provide rapid, long-lasting, and effective repair works. 

Use layers

To lower the cost of your heating bill and still stay warm at home, it will help to layer up. Walking around in a vest and shorts is guaranteed to make you feel cold and want to whack the heating up. Whereas wearing layers will keep you warmer. 

Using blankets as well as clothing will enhance your warmth and keep the heating as low as possible. 

Set heating timers

Should you want to walk into a warm house after spending a long day out in the cold, you can install smart heating that uses timers. That way, you can switch the heating on when you are out so you can come back to a nice warm home. This will allow you to maximise your warmth and keep your central heating system in great condition.

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Every homeowner should look for ways to save money around the home. From DIY projects to energy efficiency, it feels like there is always something you can do differently. One factor that people often ignore, though, is safety. But just how are safety and saving money related? Here are three reasons why a safe home saves money, protects your family, and keeps your finances secure. 

A Safe Home Reduces Repairs

Throughout your home, there are repairs that you might have put off for a little too long. Some of these repairs are small, like the dripping tap or the wobbly banister. Whereas there could be other repairs that you’re not even aware of yet, which could be an issue. 

Making these repairs can put your home at risk, and the longer you leave them, the more of a risk they become and the greater the cost of the repair. Your dripping tap is wasting water, even if it’s just a small amount each day, and cracks in the walls or a gap in the roof could escalate, demanding an expensive repair later on. 

It can be tempting to tackle these yourself, but th3re are some dangerous repairs that you must leave to the professionals, especially if you want to ensure a job well done. 

A Safe Home Protects People 

A safe home will also keep others safe. The last thing you want is your partner, kids, parents, or even guests to suffer an injury in your home because you didn’t act on something quickly enough. Maybe this is the wobbly banister, but it could be more serious problems, too. 

Outside, a worn and torn driveway can spit up rocks that might damage vehicles or get in someone’s eye. When the winter comes, the driveway could freeze over, increasing the risk of slips, trips, and falls. 

To avoid this, you’ll need to consider a driveway replacement as soon as possible. This – along with other essential fixes around the home – will reduce the risk of injury, protect your loved ones, and keep medical bills (or even legal charges) down. 

A Safe Home Can Deter Burglars 

Security is something you mustn’t ignore, so you must consider the most effective ways to keep burglars out of your home, whether you’re at work, on vacation, or even enjoying your backyard on a blissful summer evening. 

By ensuring your home is secure and making it harder for thieves to get inside, you can reduce the emotional trauma of a break-in and also eliminate the risk of theft. While you should have home insurance to cover any large purchases that you can replace, peace of mind is just as important. 

So, look around your home, secure any gaps or access points, and don’t think you’re being melodramatic by installing security systems.

As Safe As Houses

The safer your home, the safer you’ll feel. If you’re someone who wants to ensure not a penny is wasted no matter what, turn your attention to your home and consider whether there are any safety issues that you need to fix immediately. You might be surprised what you find, but solving problems will make you feel better about your home. 

If you’ve been living alone for some time now, you might have noticed that it’s not an easy feat, and those bills can soon start to leave you feeling like you’ve got none of your own money. It doesn’t have to be that way, and there are many things you could change and improve on if you want to have a little bit more spending money by the time you’ve paid what’s due at the end of each month. Everyone has at least one bad spending habit and learning how to kick it is important if you’re trying to save money.

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Cook for yourself

One of the first things you should consider is how much you’re spending on food, as people often treat themselves to take out food once a week or more. It’s tempting and it can save you a lot of time when it comes to cooking, but it’s a lot more expensive than it has to be. If you learned to cook your own meals, you would only be spending a small percentage of the amount that you’re currently spending on take-out – and it could be just as tasty if not more! Not only is it cheaper, but you have a lot more variety available when you can make any dish that you feel like.

Meal planning

Another way you can make your food money stretch a little bit further is if you actively planned out your meals. It’s simple, but it can take a lot of work if you’re aiming to get it done in one go. It’s become a trend for many people living the frugal lifestyle, and meal planning can save you money and time in the long run. If you get a week or two worth of cooking done in one day, you can store it and freeze it until you’re going to eat it later in the week. 

Invest in your own equipment

Having your own equipment at home can be expensive at first, but it will soon pay for itself as you use it more often. Just consider what you need at the time, and make sure you have it ready. Of course, if you invest in something that’s of decent quality, you will only have to pay for it once. A lot of people try to save on cooking equipment, but it’s not often a good idea. You should make sure to read up on the products that you’re purchasing, like this juicer & blender reviews – it can tell you a lot about how much you’re going to get from your money.

Be more energy conscious

Being careless with your electric bill isn’t doing you any favors, and you should make sure you aren’t leaking money unnecessarily. It might not sound like much, but things like leaving the lights on, the heating on, or any other appliances can soon cost you a lot of money. Just because it’s a small amount over the course of a month, think about how much that total is coming to after a whole year. Not only is it good for your wallet, but you would also be doing a better job for the environment.

Cheap insulation tricks

If your home has trouble holding the temperature, it could be due to problems with your insulation. It’s common to have these kinds of problems, and they often occur around windows and doors due to the seals wearing down. However, if you can’t afford to have them repaired, it can be quite troubling. Not to worry, though, there are cheap easy ways to deal with that kind of draft. For example, it’s not hard to find a cheap draft excluder in a typical home store or online for that matter.

Evaluate your bills

Identifying where all of your money is going isn’t always obvious, so sometimes you have to resort to checking the numbers. Consulting your bills and bank account is a good way to give you a clear picture of what you spend your money on, and what you could possibly cut down. A lot of people often have running subscriptions that they don’t use often, or sometimes even forget about. Even if it’s a cheap subscription, you should make sure to cancel it as soon as possible – that’s just a total loss of money.

Even if it’s just a small change in your spending, any saving is worth your time. There’s no point in needlessly spending it on things that you don’t really need or want.

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The essence of a Do-It-Yourself project is to save money. You roll up your sleeves to complete home improvement tasks that you might otherwise pay a professional to do for you. Here are seven fantastic tips to help you save more during your DIY project. 

Hone Your Skills

DIY projects on home improvement may differ on the level of skill required to complete the task correctly. You may need to study first before venturing out to your power tools. The internet is chock-full of instructional videos and how-to-guide articles that you can use to learn. 

Rushing to start the renovations without fully understanding the process may lead to rookie mistakes that will cost you more in materials and repairs. Your project plan should include a learning phase that will make your project run smoother and faster in the long run. 

Borrow Tools 

You may require specific tools, hardware, and other supplies to complete your project. Every avid DIYer needs to invest in a basic tool kit. However, purchasing heavy equipment and tools for a single project can be expensive. 

You can borrow or rent a tool far cheaper than you can purchase it. If your friends or family do not have the equipment you need, a tool rental center can help you source the jackhammer you need for your tiling project. 

Check Out The Clearance Section

You’d be surprised by how much you can save by first checking out the clearance section before heading to the regular-priced products. Online sites such as Mark’s Plumbing Parts have a dedicated clearance section with items marked down for cheap. You may also look out for seasonal sale offers such as Black Friday to purchase tools at a discount. 

Repurposed Materials 

If you are carrying out a whole house renovation, you may need to watch out for items or materials you can reuse in other projects. An excellent example is a piece of old furniture that may only require a simple brush up to provide wood for a new storage box. Do not throw out any junk until you are sure that you can’t reuse the product anywhere else in your home. 

Give Yourself Time 

The thrill of starting your bathroom renovation may push you to jump headfirst without adequately thinking it out. You may end up paying more for materials and tools if you lack an appropriate plan of implementation and schedule. Stay calm and avoid rushing the project. 

Prepare Cleaning Supplies at Home 

Most DIY tasks may require a thorough clean-up from the mess and junk generated. You can save more on the cleaning supplies needed by making them from home. It may not only be less expensive but also safer for the environment. 

Enlist Help, Whenever Possible 

Certain tasks in your DIY project may require an extra pair of hands to complete. You may consider asking for help from friends that enjoy DIY projects. You need to determine whether or not they expect financial compensation. Exchange of professional skills is an excellent way to ensure everyone benefits from the interaction. 

Conclusion

DIY projects are typically frugal, proving to be excellent money savers for adventurous homeowners. The tips above can help you complete your home improvement works frugally.

Keeping your pets safe is one of the most important things that you can do. But, unfortunately, if they are out on the street, their risk of injury increases dramatically. This blog post will give you five tips on how to keep your pets safe. 

Photo by Helena Lopes from Pexels

#1. Use Dog Food Only

You must use dog food only for dogs. Feeding your pet other food can lead to serious health problems. In addition, you should always check the label of what you are feeding them before giving it to them. You also need to be careful when choosing treats for pets because not all types are safe either! Please make sure you get treats meant explicitly for cats or dogs so that there is no risk involved with feeding them things intended for humans instead!

#2. Store Household Chemicals Properly

All household chemicals are dangerous, even if they may not be so. Chemicals can burn your pets internally, which is incredibly painful for them and expensive to treat! Store these chemicals in high cabinets that you know your pet cannot reach or close to the floor where they will have no way of getting at it. This includes cleaning products as well! It might seem like common sense, but accidents happen all too frequently, so make sure you take precautions against anything happening. If possible, store these items under a different cabinet entirely away from the food storage area because there is always a chance something could spill, leading to poisoning later on down the road.

#3. Be Garden Safe

Your pets should never be in the garden when you are working with chemicals. This is because it only takes one mistake to poison them! If they cannot stay inside, then make sure that you keep the door shut and blocked off by something like a brick or heavy object so that their access is limited. There might not seem like much danger, but even your common weed killer could end up hurting them if they happen to lick it while hiding under an azalea bush, for example. It’s better to take extra precautions. Such precautions can be to read pest control reviews before using them in your garden.

#4. Hide The Trash Bin

Avoid putting your trash bins on the floor. This is incredibly dangerous for your pets! If they happen upon it and start munching away at something inside, then there could be chemicals or other things that are not safe for them, leading to poisoning (or worse!). There should always be a lid of sorts over the top, whether it’s one with holes in it or made of wood so that nothing spills out if possible too.

#5. Talk To Your Local Vet

It would help if you talked to the local vet about what kinds of food and treats are okay for your pets. They can help you out with this too, which is incredibly helpful! The vets have more than enough knowledge on feeding animals correctly, so make sure that you speak to them if there’s anything. If you want more information on specific dietary needs or whether certain foods need to be avoided entirely because of allergies, etc.

In conclusion, keeping your pets safe is one of the most important things that you can do. Make sure they are fed correctly, kept away from household chemicals, and always make sure that the trash is inaccessible to them. If you take these simple precautions, there should be no reason why your pets will not remain safe and healthy!

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Air flow and air quality are two very important things in any home. For one thing, having clean fresh air is a huge health boost, and it’s something that will make a profound difference to your overall wellbeing in the long run. But you’ll also find that it makes the home smell nicer, improves the atmosphere and mood of the place, and just generally makes for a more appealing home. So what can you do to improve the air flow and air quality in your home? Here are some of the best ways to do just that that you might want to consider.

Open Windows Regularly

It might sound straightforward, but one of the simple things you can do to help air flow and quality is to ensure you open your windows on a regular basis. If you can do that, you are going to find that it’s so much simpler and easier to have the kind of air you really want in your home, so it’s important for that reason. To make it easier to get lots of air in the home through the windows, consider a double hung window replacement, where the window can be opened via a top and bottom panel, allowing for more air at once.

Keep The Home Clean

Whatever is left to collect on the floor and furniture will eventually get into the air, so you need to make sure that you are keeping your home clean as much as you can as well. The best way to make sure that you do this is to have a rota or schedule, so that you can be sure the home is being dusted and cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis. That way, the air is really going to be of a much higher quality indeed.

Bring Some Plants In, But Not Too Many

You have probably heard that having some plants in the home can be good for the air quality. This is true, but having too many plants can increase the likelihood of issues such as damp and mold, which will then have the opposite effect for your health. The best solution is therefore a kind of middle path, where you have some plants, but not a huge number. You should also think carefully about which plants you have – some are known to have more of the air-clearing properties than others, so they are not all made equal on this front.

Buy An Air Purifier

An easy way to make all of this much simpler is to just invest in an air purifier. You can get these quite cheaply these days, and they are generally going to be pretty useful and effective, so they are certainly worth considering at the very least. You’ll find that you can breathe easier, and your home becomes a much nicer place to be, once you have an air purifier in your home. If you splash out on a heavy duty one, all the better for your lovely home.