How to warm up a cold room in winter

With winter on its way and energy bills rising, we’ve come up with plenty of sensible advice on how to make a cold room warmer and heat your home efficiently.

Read on as we explore how carpet and underlay can help make a room warmer, as well as other ways to warm up a room and lock in heat during winter.

In this guide:

• How to make a cold room warmer
• Does carpet make a room warmer?
• How does underlay make a room warmer?
• How to keep your bedroom warm in winter
• How to warm up a room: FAQs
• Insulate your home with Tapi Carpets & Floors

Watch our quick video to get the lowdown on how to warm up your home in winter:

How to make a cold room warmer

First things first: save before you spend. Before you do anything else, make sure you’re not throwing money away on warming up a cold room, only to allow the heat to escape. We’ve compiled a list of ways to warm up a room before you switch the heating on.

1. Check your heating system

If you’re hoping to heat your home efficiently, it’s important to examine your existing heating system. Most people have heaters or radiators but, if they’re hidden behind heavy furniture, or below an always open window, you’re just wasting your money. They won’t be as nearly as effective at warming up a cold room.

• When the heating’s on, touch the radiator. If it’s hot at the top but warm to cool at the base, then it’s likely that air is trapped inside, and they’re not working as efficiently as possible.
• To fix this problem, all you need to do is bleed your radiator, then ask a professional to check your boiler regularly – preferably before there’s a problem.
• You could also insert reflective material behind the radiator to bounce the heat back into the room – ordinary tin foil is a good budget alternative!

2. Close off windows and doors

It seems obvious, but a lot of heat can be lost via windows – even when they’re closed. Check yours simply by feeling for cold air, or by using a candle. Hold the flame up against the window seals, and if it flickers, that’s the sign of air – and your hard-earned money – escaping!

The solution is a simple one. Buy some draught-proof adhesive strips and place them along the edge of the windows to seal up any gaps and help warm up the cold room.

If you have trickle vents, ensure they’re closed, too. Then go around the rest of the house examining door frames, cat flaps, and letterboxes, as they’re also often other culprits when it comes to letting in cold air.

3. Seal up fireplaces and chimneys

You may live in an older house with an original fireplace and chimney, and even if you don’t use it, it can still be a potential source of heat loss. To prevent draughts, you can buy specially designed balloons which you inflate in the chimney breast, to block out the cold. However, you must remove them if you want to light a real fire.

If you don’t plan on ever using your chimney again, then consider blocking it up permanently. Make sure you get it professionally cleaned first, and cap off the top to prevent anything from falling inside and becoming trapped.

If you have a gas or electric fire, you may find there are drafts around the vents. These can be blocked when the fires are not in use but must be left open for safety and ventilation when you use the fire.

4. Examine your roof for leaks and proper insulation

If you feel draughts are coming in from up above, ask a professional to check whether you have loose tiles or slates. If possible, go into your attic or loft and check for gaps. Remember, a lagged loft space will be naturally cold, as your home’s heat should be trapped below the lagging.

You’ll also be able to tell if your roof is properly insulated when it snows. If you still see snow on your roof after a day of having the heating on, this means the warmth is still in the house. If the snow has melted, it’s a sign your roof is warm, and, as hot air rises, it’s likely your house is not properly insulated and you’re wasting energy.

5. Invest in draught excluders

Those retro snake-like cushions are making a comeback, as they’re an effective way to stop cold air creeping under your doors. They’re a great way to retain heat and warm up a cold room quickly and affordably.

You can buy draught excluders in any high street interior shop for under £10 or if you’re feeling in a Blue Peter do-it-yourself mood, create your own:

1. Cut off the arm of an old jumper, or the leg of a pair of trousers or tights.
2. Stuff the sausage shape with any soft filling, like toy wadding, old clothes, socks, or tights.
3. Sew up the ends or use iron-on adhesive tape.
4. Some people also add dried peas or rice to help keep them rigid.

How does underlay make a room warmer?

Great insulation starts with good underlay. Underlay is like underwear – you don’t see it, but you’d miss it if it wasn’t there! It adds a layer of softness and comfort, it reduces sound but most importantly, it helps with keeping warmth in a cold room.

According to EDF Energy, 10 to 20% of heat loss from a building can be through the floors if they’re not insulated efficiently. That translates to about £45 to £120 on your average energy bill. You could save a fortune!

We sell a wide selection of carpet underlay in a variety of densities and thicknesses, so you can combine it with the carpet or vinyl to help keep your rooms snug and cosy. Our Tapi floorologists will be delighted to help you choose the right underlay to suit your home.

Insulation under your floorboards

Ground-floor insulation in older homes can reduce floor heat loss by up to 92%, according to research by the University of Sheffield and University College London. Up to 10 million houses that were built before World War II could benefit from this simple improvement.

• Before 1939, houses were constructed with wooden floors which had a small gap underneath for air to circulate. But without adequate insulation, they can often attract damp and mould.
• They were also designed to have open fires burning in all rooms, so they are notoriously draughty too, even if you have central heating.
• Research shows that underfloor insulation, either in the form of beads injected into the floor gap, or filling in the gap between the joints reduced heat loss by a minimum of 65%, and in some cases as much as 92%.

This is a cost-effective way of reducing energy consumption and saving on bills. A project like this shouldn’t cost too much to do, just ensure you don’t affect your house’s natural circulation and cause more damp issues than you’re trying to prevent! For instance, make sure you avoid filling in house bricks.

As well as benefitting from lower bills and a warmer house, insulating your home can help future-proof your property value by improving your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating. Take a look at our guide on how to insulate your floors for more information.

How to keep your bedroom warm in winter

If your bedroom still feels chilly at night, even with the heating on, explore how to make your room warmer and save energy with our simple tips below.

1. Invest in insulating bedding

When the weather turns cold, change your duvet for one with a higher tog rating or one that’s made of hollow fibre. That’ll mean it retains the heat better during the winter. Brushed cotton sheets can also help you feel warmer in bed.

If you want to, buy an electric blanket to take the chill off getting into a cold bed. Then you could add extra blankets, throws, and cuddly cushions on top to create a cocooning atmosphere.

2. Heat the human, not the home

Founder of Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis, recommends we “heat the human, not the home”. It’s much more energy and cost-efficient to put on another jumper than it is to boost the heating.

Martin suggests layering up with thermal socks, vests, and even leggings, then adding thin, cotton clothing or wool knits so that the warm air your body generates isn’t lost. You could also wear a woolly hat, an oversized hoodie, or blankets with sleeves if you want to snuggle up on the sofa without turning up your thermostat.

3. Close off rooms you don't use often

You don’t need to heat guest bedrooms, spare rooms, or anywhere that doesn’t get a lot of use until they’re occupied. So, turn off the radiator, then shut the curtains and doors when the room is empty. Ensure your home’s thermostat isn’t in the guest room as it will click on even if the rest of the house is warm enough.

4. Invest in thicker curtains, not just for winter

Even if you’ve taken our advice and got rid of any window draughts, you might want to invest in a heavier set of curtains, particularly with a thermal lining. They will help trap in the warm air in any room, keep out the cold and provide a welcoming vibe.

In the summer or during a heatwave, it’s not necessary to remove them, as you can keep out the warm weather by closing your curtains during the day and then opening them when the temperature outside drops. 

How to warm up a room: FAQs

Do soft furnishings make a room warmer?

Soft furnishings can help make cold rooms feel warmer by trapping heat and adding extra insulation. Soft textiles also create a sense of visual warmth – think curtains, blinds, blankets, throws, bedding, cushions, and rugs. All of these can be cleverly used to make the room warmer and, crucially, look and feel cosier.

What colours make a room feel warmer?

According to psychologists, we register colours and textures as ‘hot’ or ‘cold.’ For instance, white and blue are considered ‘colder’, while warm-toned colours like red, beige, and orange can feel ‘warmer’. And while darker shades absorb heat, lighter ones reflect it.

When it comes to decor, think about what furnishings you’d like to include and veer towards fabrics that are lovely to touch or snuggle into, like faux fur, mohair, or velvet. Dark, earthy colours like brown carpet can help make a room feel snug and ramp up the drama of a space.

Finally, add some warm and cosy smells like a pumpkin or cinnamon-scented candle, which evoke feelings of homely baking indoors.

How do I make cold floors feel warm?

If your floors are already well-insulated and you want to make them feel a little warmer, rugs are an easy way to lock in heat and add an extra touch of comfort. Rugs can help add provide extra insulation, especially if you have hard floors. As a long-term investment, underfloor heating is another way to introduce heat from the floor up.

Insulate your home with Tapi Carpets & Floors

Browse our stunning collection of carpets and underlay online or book a free home visit to chat with one of our expert floorologists. We’ll help you measure up and compare a range of samples to transform your space into something warm, cosy, and entirely yours. For more tips on how to reduce heat loss through your floor, read our helpful guide.