Keeping your house warm is a top priority, but people could be wasting their money if they don’t implement one easy fix that our ancestors already knew about
Andrew Nuttall U35 Lifestyle Writer
20:50, 10 Nov 2025
This method is about keeping the house warm once you’ve had the heating on for a little bit(Image: Alena Frolova via Getty)
People might be squandering their money on central heating if they overlook a simple method that the Victorians used to fend off the cold. This easy-to-install technique won’t add a penny to your bills and could result in significant savings over time.
When the weather turns bitterly cold, it’s tempting to simply turn up the thermostat. While this may temporarily fill the room with warmth, it could quickly escape from the house if precautions aren’t taken, wasting the money just spent.
People have also been reviving some Martin Lewis -endorsed tips, tricks, and tools to help balance comfort with the rising cost of utilities.
As winter intensifies across the UK, people will want to maximise their home heating system without facing a hefty bill at the end of the month. There are other ways to stay warm, such as personal heating devices and other home ‘hacks’, but there’s a straightforward solution that our ancestors used in the 1800s that could be just as effective in 2025.
According to an analysis by SEO agency IMSR, Britons may already be struggling with payments, as online searches for phrases like ‘Help with energy costs’ have surged by 80% in the UK. On average, the energy bill for a typical UK household from October to December 2025 is estimated to be £1,755 per year, or roughly £146 per month, according to Ofgem, reports the Mirror.
To tackle this, a traditional method could trap heat indoors, meaning households spend less on heating, as the thermostat is not cranked up to maximum. Heating experts at Plumbworld suggest that the simplest “Victorian fix” is hanging heavy door curtains.
Reviving what the Victorians referred to as portières, these were hung across draughty internal doorways and behind the front door. They were paired with a basic draught excluder at floor level, effectively sealing in the warmth generated within the home.
Victorian radiators are no match for modern appliances that most Brits will have had switched on at some point over the last few weeks, as temperatures truly plummeted across the country, so every measure was taken to ensure homes were not left freezing.
In a contemporary home, a fabric barrier would trap the warmth you’ve already paid for in the rooms you’re actually using. And, once you’ve chosen the perfect curtain, it doesn’t cost anything to run this ‘home hack’ – no fancy gadgets and no tools necessary to install one, making it renter-friendly as well.
Approximately 9.6 million UK households are living in poorly insulated homes, which are susceptible to cold draughts. This figure comes from an analysis of the English Housing Survey by the Institute of Health Equity and Friends of the Earth UK.
According to tests conducted by Salford University Energy House on modern glazing, heavy curtains can reduce heat loss through windows by approximately one-third to two-fifths. This decrease in heat escape can result in a slight but noticeable increase in room temperature, typically around 1 or 2°C in the heated space, particularly during chilly evenings.
Experts from Which? have previously suggested that ensuring your home is properly draught-proofed can make it feel ‘warmer straight away’. This can help identify problem areas that need addressing to retain as much heat indoors as possible.
