UK households urged to close curtains at 8pm on Sunday

With a new month comes all sorts of changes and, on Sunday, many of us have to prepare for the clocks to go forward. The end of March will mark the start of brighter mornings and lighter evenings, with many now looking forward to the prospect of summer; however, it’s not only the better weather we should be paying attention to.

It turns out there are some changes you need to make to your property on Sunday too, and the first starts with your curtains. UK households have been urged to close them from 8pm, and there’s good reason why.

As the clocks go forward on March 29, households across the UK are being urged to break a winter habit that could help reduce energy bills. The changing clocks means an extra hour of daylight, but many of us will stick to our winter schedule of shutting curtains and switching on lights at 5pm or 6pm.

However, experts say this can prevent the sun from naturally heating your home with residual heat. Therefore, there’s a change you need to make.

By delaying your curtain routine to match the new sunset times, you can benefit from free warmth. Rooms facing south and west benefit the most, as they soak up the low evening sun.

“The mistake people make is treating spring like it’s still January,” says Sam Ficek, Managing Director at Pole Design. “Once the clocks change, you should be looking to keep those curtains wide open until 7pm or 8pm.

“This allows the spring sun to warm your living space, reducing the need to nudge the heating up when the temperature drops at night.”

However, timing is only half the battle. If your curtains or curtain pole aren’t up to scratch, you’ll lose all the warmth the moment the sun goes down.

“Many people focus on when to close their curtains, but don’t realise that poorly fitted curtain poles can undermine everything,” Sam explains. “If your pole doesn’t extend far enough past the window frame, you’ll have gaps that let cold air in and warm air out, no matter when you close them.”

Keep the pole close to the wall. There should be around 2cm between the backs of the curtains and the wall. Any bigger gap and warm air escapes, even when the curtains are closed.

French curtain poles are a great option for blocking draughts. They sit closer to the wall and stop light bleeding through the edges.

Hang curtains over draughty doors too. Portiere rods let you add curtains to doors, not just windows – cutting draughts from hallways or external doors.

Electric curtain tracks can do the work for you. They open at sunrise and close at sunset automatically, so you’re always getting maximum warmth without thinking about it.

Don’t block your radiators. Curtains covering radiators trap heat behind the fabric instead of warming the room.

Most people think curtains are just about fabric, but your pole setup can also make a difference to your bills. If it’s too short, too far from the wall or can’t hold the weight, you’re letting heat escape all spring. The good news? These are all easy fixes that don’t cost the earth.

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