Once the frames are weatherproofed, you can look at reducing heat loss through the window glass itself. The cheapest way of doing this is to use a clear film plastic sheeting which is stuck to the window frame with tape and then warmed with a hairdryer. This causes the plastic film to shrink and tighten removing wrinkles and creases. This type of secondary glazing - while low priced - has to be renewed if you need to access the window, and so is unsuitable for windows which you want to open before spring!

More expensive are secondary glazing panels. These are made from rigid clear plastic and can either be fixed to the wooden frame with magnetic tape, or plastic channel which can be left in place. In both these cases, the panels can usually be removed for ventilation and cleaning. Don’t forget that when you’re draft proofing your home that it’s vital to ensure that you have adequate ventilation in rooms where there is a heater, fire, boiler or any other appliance that needs air for combustion and make sure you never block up air bricks or vents.

Now that you’ve reduced the amount of energy that it takes to keep your home warm, you can turn down the heating. Even a small 1 or 2 degree C reduction on your thermostat can reduce your heating bill significantly. If you can also set your heating to fire up a little later and switch off a little earlier, you’ll find that even a difference of a few minutes a day can add up to a big saving over a year.There’s only space here to give you a couple of ideas but there is a wealth of further information available both on and off-line on how you can economise on energy use. Once you start to think about saving energy, you’ll be surprised how it soon becomes second nature and before you know it, you’ll have a greener and more energy efficient home with big benefits for your wallet and the planet.