Winter cold has a way of seeping into a home and making every warm thought feel expensive, especially in January when bills climb and the radiator becomes a hard decision. A Daily Express piece from 10 January 2026 offers an old answer to a modern worry: let the sun in, then keep the heat from escaping once it fades. The advice, drawn from heating specialists, echoes a practice the Victorians knew well, and it rests on the quiet physics of sunlight warming surfaces that slowly give that warmth back to the room. Its claimed benefits, however, remain untested, leaving readers to weigh an inexpen
Open Your Curtains by Day to Warm a Room Without the Radiator, Heating Experts Say
Taking a few seconds in the morning to open your curtains
Mark
So the headline advice is just to open your curtains in the morning?
Mimi
Yes. Open them when it gets light, keep them open all day, and close them at dusk to hold the heat in.
Mark
Why does that warm a room?
Mimi
It's called solar gain. Sunlight brings heat through the glass, nearby surfaces absorb it, and they release it slowly back into the room.
Luke
The article says this can raise the temperature by 10 degrees. Is that solid?
Mimi
It's stated, but without any measurement or conditions behind it. It's the claim I'd trust least.
Luke
And the source is a radiator retailer's heating experts. That's worth knowing, though the advice itself is fairly uncontroversial.
Mark
Does it matter which way your windows face?
Mimi
A lot. South-facing windows get the most sun, east gets morning sun, west gets afternoon sun, and north will hardly get any.
Luke
What about savings? Readers will want to know how much money this actually saves.
Mimi
The piece doesn't say. There's no figure for bills at all.
Mark
Anything that can undermine it?
Mimi
Dirty windows, and anything blocking the light, like trees or a nearby building. Thicker curtains or reflective material can help keep the heat in after dark.
El Pulso
- Winter bills are climbing and households are hesitating over the radiator dial.
- A simple, no-cost habit is being offered: open curtains at dawn, close them at dusk.
- Sunlight through glass warms the room's surfaces, which then release heat slowly into the air.
- South-facing windows gain the most, north-facing ones almost nothing, and dirty glass or blocked light undermines the effect.
- The claimed 10-degree rise and any savings remain unquantified, so the result is still an open test for each home.
Winter cold has a way of seeping into a home and making every warm thought feel expensive, especially in January when bills climb and the radiator becomes a hard decision. A Daily Express piece from 10 January 2026 offers an old answer to a modern worry: let the sun in, then keep the heat from escaping once it fades. The advice, drawn from heating specialists, echoes a practice the Victorians knew well, and it rests on the quiet physics of sunlight warming surfaces that slowly give that warmth back to the room. Its claimed benefits, however, remain untested, leaving readers to weigh an inexpensive habit against their own windows and their own light.
Snow may look beautiful from behind a window, but when the cold begins to creep through a house the beauty fades quickly. In January many people sit wrapped in blankets, hesitating before turning on the radiators as their energy bills rise. A Daily Express piece published on 10 January 2026 suggests a free alternative: open the curtains and let the daylight in.
The advice comes from heating experts at Radiator's Direct, who recommend drawing back curtains and blinds during the day so the sun can warm the home naturally. The article notes the idea is nothing new, claiming the Victorians relied on it and that it works as well today.
The principle is called solar gain. Sunlight passing through glass carries heat, which surfaces inside the room absorb and then release slowly, lifting the temperature. Closing the curtains at dusk keeps that warmth from escaping. The article claims this could raise indoor temperatures by 10 degrees, but offers no evidence or conditions to support the figure.
The benefit depends on the windows. South-facing glass gains the most sun, east and west catch morning and afternoon light, and north-facing windows get little or none. Clean glass and unblocked light matter, as do thicker curtains or reflective lining, which hold heat in. The article gives no savings figure, but it offers a habit that costs seconds each morning and can be tested against one's own rooms.
Snow can look lovely from behind a window, but once the cold starts creeping into the house, the charm wears off fast. In January, plenty of people sit in blankets and think twice before switching on the radiators, because energy bills are climbing. A piece in the Daily Express, published on 10 January 2026, offers a no-cost alternative: open your curtains.
The advice comes from heating experts at Radiator's Direct. Their suggestion is to pull curtains and blinds back during the day and let in as much sunlight as possible, so the sun's warmth heats the home naturally. The expert quoted describes it as taking advantage of the sun's natural heat. The article also says it is not a new idea, noting that the Victorians used it and that it works as well now as it did 125 years ago.
The mechanism is called solar gain. Sunlight coming through a window carries energy in the form of heat, and nearby surfaces absorb it. Those surfaces then release the warmth slowly back into the room, nudging the overall temperature up.
The routine is simple. Open the curtains as soon as it gets light outside and leave them open all day. Close them as soon as it gets dark, which traps heat indoors. The article says this can help raise the indoor temperature by 10 degrees, though that figure is stated without supporting evidence or detail on the conditions behind it.
Insulation can add to the effect. The piece suggests thicker curtains or reflective material placed around the windows. A significant amount of heat leaves a home through its windows, so a barrier over the glass helps a room stay warm for longer without the radiators coming on.
Which windows you open matters too. South-facing windows get the most sun and receive the most light, so the expert advises keeping them unobstructed. East-facing windows catch more morning sun, west-facing windows get more in the afternoon, and north-facing windows are unlikely to get any direct sun at all.
There are conditions. The method only works if the windows are clean and nothing blocks the light, such as a tree or a neighbouring building. The article doesn't put a figure on how much money the approach might save, and the claimed 10-degree rise remains unverified. What it does offer is a habit that takes a few seconds each morning, and one that readers can test against their own rooms and their own winter light.
Citas Notables
During the day, take advantage of the sun's natural heat. Open curtains and blinds to let in as much sunlight as possible.— Heating expert at Radiator's Direct, quoted in the Daily Express
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