You can keep your warm home this winter without installing any fancy gadgets or using any tools – and it’s super cheap. Experts have been recommending the ‘forgotten’ hack
With the UK gradually turning colder, many Brits across the country are trying to find cheap ways to warm up their homes. Recent methods include a Martin Lewis’ approved gadget which can be used on the move.
But it can be extremely hard keeping your heating down as Brits are already struggling with energy bills with an 80% rise in online searches for terms like ‘help with energy costs’, according to analysis by SEO agency Improve My Search Ranking (IMSR). That said, the heating experts at Plumbworld claim the easiest ‘Victorian fix’ can be the way forward this winter to keep costs down.
The method involves hanging heavy door curtains (which the Victorians called portières) across draughty internal doorways and behind the front door, then pairing them with a basic draught excluder at floor level.
This fabric barrier traps the warmth you’ve already paid for in the rooms you’re actually using – no gadgets, no tools, renter-friendly, and you can install it in minutes.
It comes as heavy curtains can cut window heat loss by roughly 33% in Salford University Energy House tests on modern glazing, and 39% for heavy curtains on traditional sash windows in Historic England research.
That reduction in heat escaping translates into a small but noticeable lift in room temperature – typically around 1–2°C in the heated space, especially during evening cold snaps.
Alternatively, if this isn’t possible for you, another heating trick involves using foil which was previously shared by Which? on TikTok.
In a post, the organisation said: “Putting tin foil behind your radiators is a great way to heat your home for less! It’s quick, cheap and easy – a perfect hack for everyone, even if you’re not a confident DIY-er.”
The method works by reflecting the heat back into the room and it’s particularly effective on external walls. You can buy foil to help with this for around £8. However, if you’re keen to try the Victorian trick then listen up…
How to do the Victorian trick tonight:
- Fit a simple tension pole or track above the doorway (internal doors and the front door).
- Hang a thick, full-length curtain (wool, lined velvet, or a thermal curtain) so it lightly touches the floor and overlaps the frame.
- Add a draught excluder along the threshold; keep letterboxes and keyholes covered.
- At windows, close heavy night curtains; they’re proven to reduce heat loss substantially, reinforcing the effect.
- Keep fabric clear of open flames and don’t drape curtains over radiators or block vents.
