Ensuring that your baby is a comfortable temperature (neither too hot nor too cold) goes a significant way to ensuring that your baby gets some sleep. (And all parents know how important sleep is!)
 

Here are some helpful tips from Mitre 10 on how to keep Baby’s bedroom warm despite the cooler winter temperatures we’re currently experiencing.

Insulation

Did you know that 42% of household heat is lost through the roof? Installing insulation in the ceiling cavity of your house helps to prevent this heat loss, thus making your house more energy efficient and saving your electricity bill!

Any heat you introduce into the room will be better retained. Mitre 10 recommends installing Pink® Batts® insulation

For more information, click here to read the Mitre 10 How to Guide on Installing Pink® Batts®.
 

Heaters

Heaters with a thermostat are ideal as they turn on and off to keep the temperature constant. This helps to save energy too. Here are two great little heaters that both have thermostatic control:
 

The Dimplex “Drytech Column Heater, 1500 Watt with 7 Fins is ideal for Baby’s room as it contains a water based heating solution, it is non-polluting, anti-corrosive and non-combustible. Plus it has 3 heat settings and a tilt safety switch (so if it falls over it’ll turn off).

 

Another option is the Home Living Basix Oil Column heater, 1000 Watts with 5 Fins. It also has a tilt safety switch and 2 heat settings.

 

Plunket recommend that to be safe, parents should keep to the “metre heater” rule which means keeping any materials that can burn (including bedding, curtains, clothes and furniture) at least one metre from all heaters.

Gas heaters are not recommended for babies rooms.
 

Timers

To help save energy and reduce your electricity bill, it is best not to run heaters continuously.

Timers are great to control when the heater will turn on and off.

Plug-in timers fit into your standard plug socket and the heater will plug directly into the timer. You can set the timer (and thus the heater) to turn on during the colder hours of the morning (3am to 5pm) to take the chill out the air. When the timer is off, the heater is off too.
 

The HPM 7 Day Digital Timer has advanced functions that allows you to set up to 14 different on/off stages. (Sku 103337)
 

The Elto 24 Hour Timer has a manual dial that you twist and set at 15 minute interval settings. Easy! (Sky 103325)

 

Stop Draughts

If your windows don’t close properly, cold draughts will still get through.

Fitting rubber window weatherseal on your window will fix this. It is a self adhesive rubber strip (available in brown or white) that helps the window close tightly into its frame. Another option is draughtseal tape.
 

You can also fit a draughtseal on the bottom of the door to stop drafts underneath the bedroom door. Filled draft excluders that you lie against the foot of the door are just as good too.
 

Bedroom Thermometer

Room temperature is difficult to judge. If you have a thermometer in the room you can rest assured that you’re not overheating it. Childcare organizations seem to agree that the ideal room temperature for baby is 16 to 20°C.

Safety

In any home at any time, there’s the potential for fire. Two very important things should be installed in your home as a safety measure - a smoke alarm and a fire extinguisher. Read the installation instructions carefully and check them regularly so make sure that you get the most protection from these products.