How to Keep Warm For Just 20p a Day
Energy prices may rise by up to 80% next year, while the BBC predicts a rise of around 27%. As heating is the biggest energy user in most households, it’s no wonder that more than three million older people in the UK are concerned about how they’ll keep warm at home this winter. For many this may mean confining themselves to one or two rooms, such as the lounge room and bedroom, and keeping those rooms as warm as possible. Fortunately, an easy way to do this is to invest in a heated recliner chair.
A heated recliner combines all the benefits of an adjustable recliner – such as support, comfort and advantages to health – with an inbuilt heating pad to warm your back, hips and legs, exactly where achy joints will feel the cold the most. Plus, an electric recliner chair is extremely energy efficient and costs only 20p per day to run; that’s a total of £1.40 per week, and just £72.80 per year.*
Your gas or electricity bill won’t specify how much of it was spent on heating, but in 2018 it was estimated that heating a home made up approximately 40% of the annual usage. Therefore, finding a way of having a lower heating cost will bring the overall total down significantly. We know that lowering the thermostat by one or two degrees can make a big difference – but to do that you need to find other ways of keeping warm at home.
Six Heating Tips
It’s natural to be concerned about rising energy costs, but fortunately there are many ways to lower heating costs without putting your health at risk, such as:
1. Place a blanket over yourself: Hot air rises, so keep it from escaping by trapping it under a blanket made of wool, fleece or another warm material. Raise your feet off the cold floor and get them under the blanket too if it’s long enough.
2. Use a heat pack or wheat bag: These are a great idea if you have a cold or stiff spot that is not directly on the heated area of the sofa. Don’t use a hot water bottle, though, as this can be dangerous with an electric appliance.
3. Curl up with someone else: You get twice the body heat if you can share a sofa with another person, or even a pet, and The Mobility Furniture Company offers luxurious two- and three-seater sofas with heated cushions, so you can snuggle up to your heart’s content.
4. Use the massage feature: Some recliner chairs also come with a massage mechanism, which helps loosen stiff and sore muscles. It also stimulates blood circulation, which helps keep your core temperature up and is great for easing arthritic joints.
5. Choose a warmer fabric for your sofa: There are several fabrics you can choose for your recliner chair, and often the warmest are synthetic fabrics such as microfiber or polyester. Alternatively, invest in a woolen throw to use in the cooler months.
6. Avoid placing your chair directly in front of a heat source: Putting your chair directly next to a radiator or fireplace blocks a lot of the heat, as it’s absorbed by the chair instead of circulating around the room. Instead, sit slightly further away so the heat can escape, which will raise the overall ambient temperature of the room and further lower heating costs.
