Heat well without breaking the bank: These 5 tips from an architect are a success on Twitter – Evening Edition Ouest-France – 09/26/2022

Track air leaks, use cork as insulation, ventilate your home well…all in our best tips for staying warm without breaking the bank. Here are five.

With fall coming, temperatures dropping and energy prices soaring, the question of how to keep warm without spending a fortune is on everyone’s minds. On the social network Twitter, a 25-year-old architect, known by the pen name Neil, was released on September 25, 2022. A series of tweets about the best advice For more efficient heating or a better choice of your heating system, finally, Reducing gas and electricity bills at the end of the year.

“I am also committed to providing decent housing for all, Norman, who wishes to remain anonymous, explains that, in parallel with her activity as an architect, she is highly involved in associations that test environmental architecture. I made the first thread at the time of the heat wave, about cooling and heat protection techniques in the housing, she completes. It’s been widely shared, and the post you just wrote about protection from the cold in winter is a logical follow-up. »

An initiative that went viral on social networks in less than 24 hours, with no less than 4,700 shares and more than 19,500 “likes” on these various posts. for evening edition, Neil takes a look at five tips and tricks to improve your warm-up.

1. Check that there is no air leakage

One of the first solutions to protecting your home and protecting you from the cold is to look for air leaks. Mostly found in old homes and buildings, it can take many forms but most are found at the carpentry level, framing entrance doors and windows.

Including double glazed windows and insulated doors. Otherwise, you can seal them at the level of the openings, for example with rolls of window seals and insulating door bottoms (you can find them at 10€ at the DIY store) pic.twitter.com/EXJpp7zVIW

—Nel (npilayan) 25 September 2022

To plug these leaks, “It may be necessary to install or change the seal if it is missing or damaged. It is a simple process, and it can be accomplished with inexpensive DIY store-bought equipment and a little elbow grease,” Neal details. “You can put a foam or rubber seal around the opening, and an acrylic or mastic seal between the frame and the wall. There are many tutorials online, detailing the procedure to follow.”

What about the front doors? Foam door sills help break drafts. »

Read also: Six super simple tips to reduce energy consumption at home

2. Divide the volume to be heated

How to maintain heat more efficiently without constantly touching the thermostat? By closing the doors so as not to overheat perfectly At 19-20°C One of the rooms in which we spend time. Service rooms, kitchen, bathroom and hallways do not need to be heated as much. In the bedrooms, a temperature of 16-17 ° C is generally enough to sleep well, and a large quilt of feathers, wool or synthetic thermal fabric is installed. »

Thicker thermal blinds placed in front of the windows prevent heat from escaping into the glass. Be careful, however, not to cover the radiators. on the earth, Large carpets spread over tiles or parquet provide better thermal comfort and protect against cold from the floor..

3. Ventilate your home well

It may seem counter-intuitive, but good ventilation of your home allows you to better heat your home. How ? Indoor air is full of pollutants and moisture from our daily activities. Polluted air is very harmful to your health, and moist air is more difficult to heat than dry air. The architect confirms. For this reason, leave the VMC turned on, do not block the air inlets and ventilate regularly, at least 10 minutes a day, if possible in the morning, by opening two opposite windows and turning off the heaters. »

For professionals, this allows for controlled ventilation and no constant air leakage “To avoid heat loss all day and night, to live in a healthier atmosphere, more pleasant and easier to heat”.

4. Insulate your walls with cork

Economical and effective tip for small budgets: Use cork rolls on your home’s exterior-facing walls. Why cork? “It is mildew-resistant, natural, hygienic, light, hard, easy to handle, eco-friendly and a pleasant to look at insulation material”, Neil explains again on his Twitter account. It is possible for most do-it-yourselfers to put cork on the walls themselves by cutting the desired dimensions and applying them with the appropriate glue.

For the most motivated (and most cautious) people, it is also possible to temporarily insulate its walls and even, under certain conditions, for rent (yes, yes). For this, we will use the same technique used by truck workers who insulate their trucks: a cork roll! pic.twitter.com/C5fIIau6O7

—Nel (npilayan) 25 September 2022

5. Don’t forget to prepare yourself well

Who says winter says fleece on the back. Better heating and maintaining a good feeling of warmth also require proper equipment for the long winter evenings. Say goodbye to summer nightwear in the evening and afternoon with a simple T-shirt at home… Instead, prefer comfortable and warm clothes in several layers like fleece or ski socks. “Thermal underwear in particular is great”, Norman insists on her Twitter thread.