Six expert hacks to keep your home warmer this autumn and winter

With another cold season beginning, you may be wondering how you can keep your home warm this autumn and winter.

Last winter, it’s estimated that 1.7 million UK households didn’t switch on their heating at all due to concerns about rising energy bills. At the same time, nearly 10 million households are living in cold, damp, and poorly insulated homes, which aren’t ideal for the UK’s winter conditions. 

This means that, ahead of the seasons changing, knowing how to heat a room without electricity is essential. Creating warmth through clever interior styling and flooring choices is just as important for health as comfort. 

As such, our flooring experts at Online Carpets have revealed how to keep heat in the house and make your house warmer this season.

Understanding heat loss in your home

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “why is it so cold in my house?” even when you have your heating on, the answer is often heat loss. Warm air escapes through uninsulated areas or draughty gaps in your home, meaning your radiators are having to work harder just to keep the temperature comfortable.

And there are some common culprits for heat loss in homes:

• Windows & doors - Up to 40% of household heat loss can occur through glass and frames. This happens because glass is a poor insulator, and small gaps around frames allow warm air to escape. If you have an older period home, you may even have single-glazed windows, which will lead to a lot of heat loss in your house.
  

• Floors & walls - Our homes naturally lose some heat via the floor; however, some are more likely to run cooler than others. Suspended timber floors can leak warmth through the gaps between floorboards, while older homes may lack proper floor insulation. When it comes to our walls, uninsulated cavity walls let heat seep away, leaving them cold to the touch.
  

• Draughts & gaps - Even tiny cracks around skirting boards, letterboxes, or pipework can let cold air in, making rooms feel chilly during autumn and winter.
  
  

By sealing these areas and adding more insulating materials, you’ll trap more heat indoors, making your home feel warmer and helping you cut down on energy bills.

Best carpets for winter insulation

If you’re wondering what the best carpet for winter insulation is, the answer lies in materials that help trap heat rather than let it escape. Since a significant amount of heat can be lost through uninsulated floors, choosing a warm, insulating carpet can make your home feel noticeably cosier.

Wool carpets are one of the best ways to keep your home warm during the colder months. Wool fibres naturally trap air, creating a thermal barrier that stops heat escaping through the floor. This makes them one of the best carpets for winter insulation and a perfect choice for chilly months. They’re also naturally stain-resistant and highly durable, making them a smart long-term investment for busy homes. 

Pairing your carpet with a good carpet underlay is an easy way to boost warmth even further. Underlay acts as a hidden layer of insulation between your carpet and the subfloor, helping to keep more heat inside your home. It also adds softness underfoot, extends the lifespan of your carpet, and even reduces noise between rooms.

What is the Best Carpet Underlay?

All carpet underlays have their advantages and disadvantages, so the best option really depends on your room, lifestyle, and what you want to achieve. Some are softer and more comfortable, while others are built to withstand high-traffic spaces, and some are designed specifically to retain warmth in your home. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right one:

• PU foam underlay - Made from recycled foam, this option is springy and lightweight, making it perfect for your bedroom or living room where comfort is key. It helps insulate against heat loss and adds softness underfoot.

• Rubber underlay -  This is a dense, durable option ideal for high-traffic areas such as hallways or stairs. It provides excellent support, helping your carpet maintain its shape.

• Thermal underlay – Designed with insulation in mind, this type has a higher tog rating, which means it retains more heat. It’s a great choice to keep heat in your home.

But there are also simple, practical steps you can take around your home to make a real difference to heat loss in your home. Flooring choices are just one part of the picture; how you arrange your furniture, layer textiles, and tackle heat loss in other areas all contribute to creating a cosy home.

Our team  of interior experts at Online Carpets have shared six expert ways to keep your home warmer this winter.

Six expert hacks to keep heat in your home without electricity  

1. Keep furniture away from radiators

It can be tempting to place your sofa or bed right up against the radiator in winter to capture the warmth, but this will actually make your home feel colder.

When large pieces of furniture block radiators, any heat isn’t able to circulate properly around the room. Instead, the warmth gets trapped behind the furniture, leaving the rest of your room still feeling cold. 

If you’ve turned your heating on, try leaving a clear space in front of radiators. This allows the heat to move freely, which makes the whole room feel warmer and more comfortable.

2. Choose carpet fibres like wool that lock in warmth

When it comes to your flooring, the material matters. Carpets made from natural fibres like wool are fantastic at retaining heat. Wool fibres trap air, providing insulation underfoot that helps to keep warmth inside the home, perfect if you’re in need of some further insulation.

Synthetic options such as polypropylene can also be a great choice as they’re durable, budget-friendly, and still offer good insulation compared to hard flooring surfaces like laminate or tiles. A well-chosen carpet or rug not only feels soft but can cut down on heat loss in certain areas of your home.

If you are thinking of replacing any flooring, you can also look at getting underlays placed for your carpets. Carpet underlay will not only provide you with extra heat and noise insulation but can also extend the lifespan of your carpet and provide extra comfort underfoot, making it a great choice for anyone wanting to lock in more heat during the colder months.

3. Layer rugs for instant warmth on hard floors

Adding a large rug on top of wooden, vinyl, or laminate flooring is one of the quickest ways to warm up a room. Rugs stop draughts from coming through floorboards, create an extra layer of insulation, and make spaces feel instantly cosier. You can also play with layering and overlapping different styles and colours of rugs to create a focal point for your room, and bring in extra warmth. 

Opt for thick, dense rugs in living areas or runners in hallways for maximum impact. Not only will they keep feet warm, but they’ll also protect your flooring from everyday wear and tear.

4. Add soft furnishings like wool throws for cosiness

Textiles can play a huge role in how warm your space feels. Layer up your wool throws, chunky knits, and velvet cushions to create that inviting “snuggle-up” vibe. These soft furnishings not only keep you physically warm but also make your home feel visually warmer and more cosy.

As an extra styling touch, you can bring in warm-toned accessories like cushions or blankets in shades of terracotta, deep green, or caramel for a cosy, autumn-winter look. Even small touches, like a wooden side table or a jute rug, can bring that organic cosiness to a room, but this is just a bonus, not a necessity.

5. Insulate your windows with heavy, lined curtains

As mentioned, windows are one of the biggest culprits for heat loss in your home. Keeping your curtains open in the day to let sunlight in, and then closing them as soon as it gets dark can help trap warmth inside your home rather than letting it escape through the glass. Heavy or lined curtains work especially well, as thicker fabrics like velvet or wool act as an extra layer of insulation.

Heavy curtains will hold heat better because the dense fabric creates a barrier between the warm air indoors and the cold air outside. This reduces heat transfer through the glass, keeping warm air circulating inside your home instead of being lost. By blocking draughts and slowing down how quickly heat escapes, curtains can make a noticeable difference to both the comfort of your living spaces and your energy bills.

6. Block draughts with door excluders

Even a small draught can make your room feel much colder. Gaps under your doors or around frames let chilly air in and warm air escape, which can make heating less effective.

Invest in simple draught excluders or self-adhesive draught strips to block gaps under internal and external doors. They’re inexpensive, easy to fit, and make a noticeable difference to how warm your home feels without turning on the heating.

FAQs: Answering your carpet and underlay questions

How to fit carpet underlay?

Fitting carpet underlay is straightforward. Start by preparing and cleaning your subfloor, then roll out the underlay and cut it to size. Secure it with spray adhesive or staples before laying your carpet on top. This helps improve insulation, comfort, and carpet longevity.

How to clean wool carpets?

Wool carpets are naturally durable but need gentle care to maintain their warmth and appearance. Regular vacuuming, immediate spill cleaning, and occasional deep cleaning with a wool-safe carpet cleaner will keep them looking fresh. Avoid harsh chemicals that could damage the fibres.

Can you lay laminate on carpet underlay?

It’s generally not recommended to lay laminate directly on carpet underlay. Laminate flooring needs a stable, firm surface to avoid movement and gaps. If you want insulation under laminate, use an underlay specifically designed for laminate or hard flooring.

If you’re interested in keeping your home extra warm with underfloor heating, check out our previous blog on the best flooring to use with underfloor heating