The Money Saving Expert founder shared a simple ‘rule’ that can help households stay warm for longer
Martin Lewis, the founder of MoneySavingExpert (MSE), has offered some crucial advice to homeowners across the UK who are grappling with expensive living costs and rising energy bills. The financial expert, renowned for his tips, regularly shares his wisdom on his social media channels, the BBC podcast, the MSE website, and ITV’s The Martin Lewis Money Show Live.
He has a particular tip that could help UK households keep their homes warm for longer while potentially saving money. He first shared this strategy on his ITV show a few years ago, but given the recent Ofgem price cap hike in October, it remains pertinent.
His team of experts on the official MoneySavingExpert website has confirmed that, despite the segment being recorded in November 2022, “the tips still work.” The technique involves sticking to a specific ‘rule’ “rigorously” at a certain time each day as temperatures fall and the weather changes for winter.
Speaking to viewers, he advised: “Use tactical curtains.” He was referring to energy-efficient curtains designed to retain heat; these are typically thermal, lined curtains, reports the Manchester Evening News.
He continued: “When the sun is shining, it is letting light and heat into the house, so you want the curtains open. When it gets dark, it’s not, so you want to keep the heat in by closing the curtains. I know we all know that, but doing it rigorously can help insulate, especially if you line it with a fleece. There are lots of tips online on how to do that, and really cheaply-do it yourself.”
With sunset occurring at 4.14pm today, November 15, across the UK, experts recommend drawing your curtains around 4pm to trap warmth inside your property, potentially postponing the moment you switch on your heating.
Throughout the remainder of the month, daylight will fade progressively earlier. Come November 30, darkness will fall by approximately 3.55pm, requiring households to adapt their daily habits.
For those with the budget, purchasing heavier curtains represents a worthwhile investment. Martin Lewis recommends a budget-friendly alternative for cost-conscious households – attaching inexpensive fleece blankets to your current curtains as lining. He emphasises checking the fleece material is fire-resistant before proceeding.
This guidance forms part of Lewis’s comprehensive energy-efficiency recommendations, extensively documented on his MoneySavingExpert platform. Beyond window treatments, his suggestions encompass installing reflective panels behind radiators and eliminating draughts throughout the home.
Martin Lewis often shares the money-saving mantra: “Heat the human, not the home”. This advice encourages the use of personal heating solutions instead of costly central heating to warm the entire house. These tips come in handy during times of high energy costs and are designed for when you’re stationary and only need to heat one or two rooms.
Warm air tends to flow towards cooler spots. When there’s an open window in a room, the air close to the glass gets cooler, becomes heavier, and sinks to the floor, pulling warmer air from the ceiling down to cool off as well. This is called convection. The curtain stops this air movement, which means less warm air inside touches the cold window.
How do fleece-lined curtains work and where can you purchase them?
Fleece-lined curtains function by trapping layers of insulating air, which aids in reducing heat transfer and keeping drafts at bay. This process is grounded on three scientific principles of heat transfer: convection, conduction, and radiation.
The effectiveness is boosted by the ability of fleece to create air pockets, much like a winter coat retains warmth. Numerous retailers with a homeware section often stock curtains, including those made from thick or fleece-lined materials. For instance, Dunelm, Amazon, Argos, The Range, B&Q, Tesco and more.