A DIY content creator has shared her top tip for keeping her home warm in the winter – without breaking the bank.
The mum’s hack comes amid the cost of living crisis which continues to affect millions of households across the UK.
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Shauna, who goes by @homediydiary on TikTok, shared a helpful video to her page, telling her followers: “Do this one easy thing to save on your heating bill.
“If you have an open fire, your chimney is basically acting as an open window all year long, and you’re losing approximately 20 per cent of the heating that you’re paying money for.
“Think of that in money terms. For every 100 euros you spend on heating, 20 euros gets sucked out the chimney.”
Kneeling on the floor in front of her chimney, Shauna fit pieces of a tool together so it resembled a flat-topped mushroom and stuck it up her chimney.
More on heating hacks
The self-described “mummy and home DIY enthusiast” explained: “I found the best product to solve the problem. This is not sponsored, I bought it myself.
“This is a chimney sheep.”
Chimney sheeps are essentially hidden plugs that are placed inside the chimney flue: the duct through which smoke, waste gases, and heat exit the home.
Shauna added: “It’s a chimney plug like no other because it’s breathable, it’s made out of wool, which is so important for ventilation, but it does prevent the draughts and heat loss.
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“Just plug the chimney whenever the fire is not in use, remove it when you want to start a fire.”
Many TikTok users loved her hack and said they had no idea such a product existed.
One person wrote: “I’m glad you’re highlighting the need for ventilation with the plug; condensation being retained in the chimney can react with the soot deposits.”
Another said: “My mums georgian house c (1729) 6 floors of fireplaces. This worked wonders. Thank you.”
The cheapest chimney sweeps available for purchase on Amazon are about £9, although prices vary significantly.
Another handy £7 tool could save households hundreds of pounds on their energy bills this winter.
The Sun asked home insulation and heating expert and LoftZone chief executive Dave Raval for advice about keep energy bills low and house temperatures high.
Dave said: “There are lots of things everybody could do in their own homes that are quite easy and inexpensive to help save on your heating bills.
“The best energy saving is the energy you don’t use, so looking at where heat may be escaping is key!
“On a cold evening, go around with your hand across every window and across every door and feel for draughts.”
He added: “These are a cost-effective solution. You can buy products online and solutions from DIY stores.”
Draught excluders don’t cost a lot, but can have a big impact – The Sun found one at Dunelm for just £7 – Buy Here
It is also worth checking your dehumidifier is in the right place so it can run at maximum efficiency.
Home expert and Queen of Clean Lynsey Crombie said dehumidifiers should be used in the smallest room in your house for the best results.
She explained: “Choose the smallest room to dry your clothes and shut the door.
“Roughly place the unit six inches away from your clothes with the vent face facing the clothes – this way, they will dry much faster.
“Turning your clothes rack every hour will also help to speed things along.”
Another way to keep warm without forking out a small fortune on your electricity bills can be found at Argos.
According to delighted shoppers, it’s helped them to “feel the difference immediately.”
The price of Argos’ Home Thermal Door Curtain, which is made from 100 per cent polyester, has been slashed from £25 to just £12.50.
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Its description online says it is “perfect for hanging by a draughty door” and “helps eliminate draughts to keep your house toasty.”
Available in two sizes, the curtain is made from a thick material which keeps the warm in and the cold out, meaning you’ll spend less on central heating.
