When it’s cold outside, how can you heat your home economically? (Picture :Getty Images)

Nothing beats returning to a toasty home after a day spent outdoors in the winter chill.

But with energy bills remaining high, you might be thinking twice about cranking up the central heating.

Some may opt (or have little choice but) to keep it off or on less than they’d like – perhaps wrapping up in fleece loungewear and electric blankets in a bid to avoid escalating costs.

Fortunately, there are a few small things you can try to keep the cold outside where it belongs.

From free changes to small tweaks under £10, these expert-approved tips could ultimately help warm your house a bit – and stop heat escaping by keeping frosty draughts at bay.

Pop some clingfilm on your windows

It sounds daft on the face of it, but putting cling film on your windows can help with warming your house.

Get out the clingfilm (Picture: Getty Images)

Construction expert and Fix Radio presenter Clive Holland told Metro.co.uk this was a ‘very good’ tip – and added: ‘You can buy specific clingfilm packs to go on various sized windows – it does actually work and prevents condensation build up.

‘You need to flatten it out all around the frame, it looks saggy and horrible, but you then need to take a hairdryer and it sinks into position, blocking any draughts.’

He did note, though, that it means you can’t open your windows.

Of course, you can pick up rolls of cling film for your local shop or supermarket for way less than £10 per roll, but Amazon also sells a pack of 3m insulating film for windows for £8.30.

Seal up window frames, doors, skirting and floorboards

Cracks or gaps in your window frames can certainly let the cold air in. It’s the same for cracks in your floorboards, or skirting boards, or gaps along the sides of doors.

The Energy Saving Trust has plenty of recommendations for tackling draughts throughout the home.

Fortunately, there are affordable solutions to sealing all of these things up – whether as a temporary fix or permanent measure.

There are are a range of white sealants for available from Screwfix for as low as £3.79, useful for window frames and skirting boards – while wood flooring sealant costs £4.99.

Wilko offers plenty of options from £5. Similar prices can be found at Amazon, with UniBond sealant is on sale for £7.50.

A roll of self-adhesive rubber seal is available from Wickes for £6.50, which is ideal for doors or windows.

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Cover up your letterbox

While it may seem obvious now that window frame draughts need tackling, you don’t want to forget about your letterbox.

If it’s uncovered on the inside of your front door, cold air could be creeping in.

It’s an easy fix if you’re handy, as you can buy a cover for as little as £5.99 from Amazon. Often, they’ll need to be screwed on.

Buy or make your own ‘door snake’

If there’s a little bit of space between your floor and the doors in your home, ‘door snakes’ can be your new best friend.

Essentially, these are just draught excluders long enough to cover the width of your door, which are positioned by the gap to stop cold air slipping in.

Invest in a draught excluder (Picture: Getty Images)

They can be purchased for less than £10 each, with the lowest prices we spotted on Amazon coming in at £7.99 for a plain version – and £8.99 for a fluffy cat design.

Natasha Berthiaume, Head of Brand at Hometree, says you can also make your own with a few bits and pieces.

She explains: ‘Simply sew together a couple of sheets or scraps of fabric to make a long thin cloth sack, and fill it with dried peas or rice. Ideally something to give it enough weight to stay in place.

‘You should measure the cloth to ensure it matches the width of the door frame.’

Rearrange furniture away from your radiators

A bit of lounge or bedroom rearranging could be in order, to ensure your radiator isn’t covered or blocked.

Don’t block off your heat source (Picture: Getty Images)

‘It may seem obvious to point out, but having any kind of furniture, such as a sofa, chair or bed in front of the radiator will block the flow of heat into the room,’ says Natasha.

‘It’s also worth noting that placing furniture close to a running electric or steam radiator can be hazardous and should be avoided.’

Install radiator valves

Another tip from Hometree’s Natasha Berthiaume is to purchase a radiator valve if you don’t have one.

The dials, which are often numbered, turn-able, and found to the bottom and side of your radiator, allow you to control the temperature in different rooms – optimising where the heat is going and when.

Each one can cost under £10 – we’ve seen them costing as low as £8.84 from Screwfix.

You can also fit valves to your radiator to keep costs down (Picture: Getty Images)

However, you would have to make sure you know how to properly and safely install them yourself – as well as having the right tools to complete the task – or else you’ll need to pay for a professional, too.

Natasha adds: ‘Alternatively, you could buy a smart valve, which is linked to your smart thermostat to control the temperature from one place, and helps save even more on your energy bills.

‘The Energy Saving Trust estimates that you could save between £70 and £150 a year if you install thermostats and radiator valves in your home.’

And consider adding some reflective radiator panels

Another energy-saving myth that can also be cost effective is adding reflective panels behind the radiator.

This, says construction expert Clive Holland, aims to reflect heat back out into your room – rather than letting it escape to the walls – and anecdotally seems to work.

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He previously told us: ‘Recently, somebody told me that they’ve got a radiator in the bathroom and asked if it would benefit from having a reflective shield, so the wall doesn’t soak up the heat.

‘I put it to the test and got some reflective foil bubble wrap and put it behind the radiator. Apparently, they are feeling a massive heat difference in that room – I am getting great feedback.’

If your house is particularly chilly, or there’s a room where heat just seems to vanish, it may be worth a punt.

Happily, you can test out the theory with a 470mm x 4m roll of radiator reflector foil for £7.99 from Screwfix. You’ll need some tape, too.

Insulate your pipework

‘Purchasing and installing pipe insulation is a quick and easy way to prevent excessive heat-loss and help reduce your home energy usage,’ says Natasha.

Make sure your pipes are insulated (Picture: Getty Images)

‘It also helps prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting during the colder periods.’

Indeed, B&Q has a guide for people to insulate their own pipes on its website.

To do this, you’ll need to buy some foam tubes – which you can also get from B&Q starting from £1.38. They’re also available from most DIY stores, as well as online.

How much you spend will depend on how many tubes you’ll need, which you’ll need to measure for.

Natasha adds: ‘You can purchase foam tubes from most DIY stores… and place them over your pipes yourself. This will help keep your water heated up for longer and prevent any blockages of ice.’

A slightly lower temperature on your thermostat will help (Picture: Getty Images)

Get to grips with your thermostat

Last but not least: learning to use your thermostat properly can also help keep your home warm, and help you save money.

‘One of the best energy-saving tips is simply to get to grips with your thermostat and programme it correctly,’ says Stuart Fairlie, managing director of home energy assessor Elmhurst Energy.

He recommends using a ‘consistent temperature – one for day, and one for night’, adds that ‘dropping by just one degree can slash 10% off a bill.’

MORE : How to cut down on your energy bills this winter

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Tips from various experts for keeping homes warm – without excess costs