1. Remove the dampness from your home.
Before you invest in an expensive heater, get your dehumidifier pumping to remove condensation from the air.
2. Open and close your curtains.
While the winter sun might not be as strong as in the summer, it's important to open your curtains in the morning to let the sun heat your home and close your curtains as the sun goes down to try to retain the heat.
3. Block those chilly drafts.
Make sure all your doors and windows are sealed around your home to restrict and stop the impact of cool winds. Curtains help block any drafts but a door sausage can help block and draughts from sliding under doors.
4. Layers, layers and more layers.
Don't be afraid to pile on the extra clothing. Wrap up warm when you're outside with extra layers, including jackets, scarves and gloves.
5. Stay warm in bed.
Dust off the old hot water bottle and fill it up before heading off to bed each night. Another way is to add extra layers of bedding, sheets, blankets and duvets all help.
Tips from an expert
George Block from consumer.org.nz has also revealed the do's and don'ts for staying warm this winter, and shared tips to ensure you're not just blowing precious warmth and money out the window.
• Don't set your heat pump to a higher temperature than required. Selecting 300C in an effort to warm a room extra fast doesn't work - set the temperature you want and let the heat pump do the rest.
• Don't neglect heat pump maintenance: every three months remove the filter from the indoor unit and give it a good vacuum. Then inspect the outdoor unit to ensure it hasn't become overgrown and its air intake hasn't become clogged with debris. Keep an eye out for rust, too.
• Beware of cold callers pressuring you into expensive heat pump servicing. They often charge hundreds of dollars for a service you can perform yourself in a few minutes.
• If you've got a wood burner, make sure you're burning seasoned firewood (wood with less than 25 percent moisture content). That means buying firewood several months ahead of winter and storing it, or paying more now for pre-seasoned dry firewood. You should also make sure the wood is the right size to burn with maximum efficiency and minimum pollution - as a rough guide it should fit through a 110mm hole.
• Plug-in electric resistance heaters cost much more to run than fixed forms of heating such as wood burners, heat pumps, natural gas fires or whole-home central heating systems. For a decent-sized living area a fixed, efficient heat source will more than pay for itself over its lifetime. Plus it will have enough power to raise the air to a healthy temperature quickly and evenly. However, if you're relying on portable electric heaters to heat living areas make sure you get a model with a fan. Our testing shows models with a fan are much better than fan-less models at heating a room quickly and evenly.
• Damp air takes more energy to heat than dry air, so you're wasting money if you've cranked up the heater but haven't addressed the sources of dampness in your home. One of the biggest sources of moisture comes from dampness under a house. Fix any drainage, guttering, downpipe or plumbing problems then look at installing a sealed moisture controlled sheet.
Homemade heating remedies
In winters past, the Herald has received lots of tips recommending bubble wrap as window insulation, like this one from Lisa in Whakatane.
"In response to your article about keeping warm in winter I would like to share my enthusiasm for bubble wrap. It simply sticks on a window with a little water. It's amazing what a big difference it makes to the temperature in the house."
"If you're lucky you can find free bubble wrap (some businesses receive their goods in it and throw it away), but it's not too expensive at stationery retailers. On frosted windows it is hardly visible. On windows with a view (such as the living room) I put it up when I draw the curtains and take it down again in the morning. I am very, very happy with it."
Another reader called Chuck tried it recently, but it came unstuck.
"I have three heat pumps and they dry out the air so efficiently that the bubble wrap kept falling off, especially the high windows."
After some thought, Chuck came up with this solution. "Take a 450ml spray bottle and half fill with water. Add three teaspoons of PVA craft glue and shake until dissolved. Spray on the bubble wrap then fix to the glass. PVA doesn't stick glass or plastic, but when it dries there is enough adhesion to hold up the bubble wrap. To remove any glue on the glass just wipe with a damp cloth."
Reader Denise also has a tip to deal with sneaky draughts under doors. "I made some draught excluders out of an old feather pillow. It was messy to make, but it did a much better job of keeping out the draughts than using other types of fillers."
Auckland council's top 10 tips to help make your home warm, dry and energy efficient:
• Trim trees and shrubs blocking sun entering windows
• Install a clean, efficient heating system and heat to 18-21C
• Choose a portable heater with a thermostat, timer and fan, or retrofit them
• Open and close curtains at the right times
• Check insulation, and landlords should be aware of new obligations coming up
• Install lined curtains, closed off on at least three sides
• Install, maintain and use extractor fans correctly in the bathroom and kitchen
• Install a groundsheet under the house
• Open windows for at least 20 minutes a day
• Remove mould as soon as it appears
