Sponsored – This is how you make your home a comfortable place for your family

It is an understatement: the weather in the Netherlands is quite changeable. Where we had to deal with icy temperatures a few weeks ago, March was a soaking wet month and we have now (hallelujah, finally!) seen some rays of sunshine. Anyway, those weather extremes also affect your home. Because how do you keep it nice and warm (or cool) inside? And how do you get enough fresh air? In short: how do you ensure a nice place at home with your family? Well, this way!

Your children playing in the living room or upstairs, while you have a moment on the couch for yourself, with a cappuccino or a good glass of wine. Sounds wonderfully comfortable, right? You’re not alone: ​​feeling completely comfortable at home is one of the best feelings for 84% of the Dutch, according to research by roof window specialist VELUX. Yet that feeling is sometimes hard to find, for example when it is scorching hot or freezing cold outside. That can have an impact on the comfort in the house, and therefore on your mood. Speaking of whether or not you are in a good mood: 62% indicate that they cannot sleep well due to heat or cold. The good news: you can solve this with the tips below from VELUX, to make your home more comfortable, more energy efficient and moreover more sustainable. So a win-win situation.

Provide a nice home base for you and your children by letting everyone contribute. So parents, apply advice and set a good example for your children. By including our next generation in the change process, we are walking the route to more energy-efficient, sustainable homes together.

1: Check existing windows
You may think that your window is closed properly, but unnoticed a lot of drafts can still come through cracks or edges. You can easily do something about this in the form of draft strips or brush seals. A matter of precise placement and you’re done – it’s immediately a lot less cold in the winter.
Is your (roof) window really in need of replacement? Then invest in a good alternative. It may cost a penny, but a good skylight lasts on average up to forty years.

2: Darken things
There is a good chance that you already have curtains in front of your windows, but not every curtain is equally blackout. And that’s exactly what you need. For example, blackout pleated blinds provide an extra insulating layer in your home, while on the outside you can think of sun blinds or roller shutters. The right window coverings ensure less heat loss during the cold and it stops the heat from outside as soon as it is sweltering hot – so you and your children can keep a cool head.

3: You can learn to ventilate
Yes hello, we don’t open the window when it’s freezing cold outside, do we? Sounds logical, but a dose of fresh air does ensure a healthier and nicer climate in the house. Therefore, plan a few fixed, short ventilation moments during the winter. In the summer months you do this early in the morning or later in the evening, when it is cooler outside. During the day it is better to leave windows closed, so that no warm air enters and you are puffing from the heat.
Want to know more about how important it is to have healthy indoor air? Then take a look at Healthy Indoors. And you don’t just open or close the windows: a nice assignment for (medium) large children.

4: Create thermal draft
It sounds like a complicated magic trick, but it’s not. Simple: open a few (roof) windows both below and above: the uncomfortable warm air then rises and disappears, boom, out through the skylight. Provides natural and sustainable cooling in the home and also immediately for a nice breeze.

5: Harness the power of the sun
Renovate your roof? Then consider using your roof surface for photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal energy. And did you know that you can also combine those solar panels with skylights? This also allows you to bring in free heat and daylight. Not something you decide one two three, but a good one to think about. This way you are less dependent on energy prices or availability of energy.

6: Insulate smartly
Insulating your home can be quite an expense. Fortunately, there are different types of government subsidies, for example for roof or glass insulation. Sometimes that amount can be up to fifteen percent (!) of the insulation costs. Read more about it here.

This article was written in collaboration with VELUX.

Note: The market research, conducted by VELUX, was conducted among 2,000 people between the ages of 25 and 65 living in the Netherlands.

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