As we reach the deepest cold of winter, how do you feel about your home’s insulation? How much electricity are you using to keep your family warm?

South Africa has one of the most pleasant climates in the world. For this reason, insulation has not been a top priority when building homes. However, South Africans who have travelled to Europe will often comment that they have felt more cold at home than in snowy countries due to our lack of central heating.

Our winters are certainly cold enough to require daily use of heaters and hot water bottles. Our summers see us cranking up the aircon. What few realise, is that insulation is as important in summer as it is in winter. That’s because insulating your home stops heat from entering in summer and escaping in winter.

The cost of electricity has sky-rocketed and continues to increase. At the same time, we are increasingly aware of the negative impact that energy consumption has on the planet. For South Africans to reduce the use and cost of electricity, we need to look at insulating our homes.

Energy is lost through the roof, floor, walls, windows and doors.

There are numerous options to optimise these areas whether building a new home or doing simple renovations. Cover floors with rugs that accentuate your home décor. Invest in thicker curtains. Research new insulation technologies, but make sure to work with reliable manufacturers and installers.

Mind the gaps.

No matter what materials you have used, if you have gaps in the floorboards, a space under your door or windows that don’t seal properly, your insulation efforts will fail. That is why Teva Windows place such emphasis on ensuring that windows and doors seal 100% completely. Fusion welded corners ensuring that air can’t leak in at the corners over time and add strength and security.

Harness the heat of the sun.

Curtains are a great help in this regard. Close sun-facing curtains in summer and open them on cold winter days. Your window glazing options will also have an impact. Teva Windows recommends double glazing to give you the most control over the temperature of your home. Teva’s uPVC frames are non-conductive, which means they won’t transfer heat into or out of your home and they don’t heat up the glass the way that metal frames do.

Insulation not only affects heat, but Sound.

Most steps you take to reduce the transfer of heat in your home, will also reduce noise. This is a big bonus. We love the bustle of the city but prefer our homes to be peaceful. This is one of the reasons that residents of apartments and complexes love it when developers install Teva windows and doors.     

Hopefully, these tips will help you warm up your home for the rest of winter. If you invest in insulating windows, you’ll love how much cooler your home feels in summer too.