With the cost of living still squeezing households across Dublin, keeping a home warm without sending energy bills through the roof has become a daily challenge. Between rising energy prices, draughty rentals, and a housing market that leaves many people living in older, poorly insulated properties, staying cosy in winter takes strategy — not just switching on the heat. Here are ten practical, budget-friendly tips to help Dubliners keep warm and cut down on waste this season.
@radionova100fm Wait for it… #dublin ♬ original sound - Radio Nova 100
The first and most effective step is identifying where heat is escaping. Many Dublin homes, especially older terraces and converted flats, leak warmth through gaps around doors, letterboxes, attic hatches and windows. Simple draught-proofing strips, seals, and blockers can make an immediate difference. A rolled towel at the bottom of a door may not be glamorous, but it keeps heat in and cold out.
Next, it’s worth paying attention to curtains. Thick, lined curtains trap heat far better than the flimsy sets found in many rentals. Keeping them open during daylight helps warm the space naturally, and closing them as soon as the sun sets prevents heat loss through single-glazed or poorly fitted windows — a common issue across Dublin’s ageing housing stock.
Layering up inside the home is another underestimated trick, especially in places where tenants can’t make major upgrades. Cosy socks, fleece throws, hot water bottles and heated blankets use a fraction of what it costs to run the heating. A heated blanket, used smartly, can warm a person rather than the entire room — particularly helpful for renters trying to save money.
For anyone able to invest a little more, insulating the hot water cylinder with a jacket and bleeding radiators can make heating far more efficient. Radiators with trapped air won’t heat properly, forcing the system to work harder for less output. In some Dublin apartments, radiators are placed behind sofas or heavy furniture, blocking heat. Simply rearranging the room so radiators aren’t obstructed can noticeably improve warmth.
Another overlooked tactic is using timers. Rather than running heat sporadically, short bursts scheduled at the right times keep homes from dropping to freezing temperatures and avoid the expensive surge of reheating a fully cold room. For many people working hybrid jobs in Dublin, this means scheduling heat just before waking and again before returning home, instead of running it continuously.
Cooking at home also helps. Leaving the oven door open (once it’s turned off) after baking or roasting allows residual heat to warm the kitchen — a tiny bonus, but one that makes a difference in smaller flats. Likewise, taking shorter showers and reducing water temperature even slightly can cut costs while still staying comfortable.
For those living with housemates or partners, agreeing on a shared heating plan avoids the “on-off-on-off” cycle that wastes energy and money. A consistent room temperature, even if it’s a degree lower than ideal, is cheaper than fluctuating extremes.
Finally, portable rugs can change everything for renters stuck with cold laminate floors. A thick rug traps heat and stops the cold seeping up from below — especially essential in ground-floor units, basement conversions, or older houses with poor sub-floor insulation.
In a city where many feel they’ve little control over the condition of their homes, small actions can still create meaningful warmth — and meaningful savings.
Dublin winters aren’t getting any gentler, and energy prices show no sign of easing, but with the right mix of clever habits and low-cost fixes, staying warm doesn’t have to mean budgeting fear.
