Every winter the same thing happens: gas pressure falls in the evening, the heater struggles, and the electricity bill from running a blower all night arrives in January. The good news is that most heat is lost in ways you can fix cheaply, and warmth on the bed costs nothing to run.
Here is what to do, roughly in order of how much difference it makes for the money.
1. Stop the draughts
A cold room usually has cold air coming in, not just an absence of heat. Check these on a windy evening by holding your hand near each one:
- Under the door. The single biggest gap in most rooms. A rolled towel works; a proper draught stopper works better.
- Window frames. Old aluminium frames leak badly. Self-adhesive foam tape costs very little and seals the gap.
- Exhaust fan opening. An uncovered kitchen or bathroom exhaust pulls warm air out all night. Cover it in winter.
- Unused AC opening. The wall gap around an idle split AC pipe leaks air. Seal it, and cover the indoor unit with an AC cover, which also keeps dust out; our AC cover guide explains when to use one.
2. Layer the bed properly
Warmth comes from layers of trapped air, not from one thick thing. From the mattress up:
- A quilted mattress protector. A cold mattress pulls heat out of you all night. A padded layer underneath makes a surprising difference, and it keeps the mattress clean: see the quilted waterproof protector.
- A warm bedsheet. Khaddar in cold cities, crystal cotton elsewhere. Our winter bedsheet guide compares them.
- A light blanket between the sheet and the top layer. This one cheap layer adds more warmth than upgrading the razai.
- A comforter or razai on top. Not sure which? Read comforter vs razai vs duvet.
Tuck the sides in firmly. An untucked sheet lets a cold draught run along the mattress every time you move.
3. Cover the floor
Marble and tile floors are standard in Pakistani homes and they stay cold all winter. A rug beside the bed, or a dhurrie across the middle of the room, changes how the room feels the moment you step out of bed — and stops a good deal of heat draining downwards.
4. Use curtains as insulation
- Open them during the day on the sunny side of the house and let the sun heat the room for free.
- Close them before sunset, not at bedtime. Most heat is lost through glass in the first hours after dark.
- Heavier is warmer. A thicker curtain, or a second layer behind a light one, works like a blanket on the window.
- Let the curtain reach the floor if you can. A curtain ending at the sill lets cold air spill underneath.
5. Close the room down
Heating one room is far cheaper than heating a house. Keep the bedroom door shut, and if the room has a high ceiling, accept that the warm air sits above you and focus on the bed itself rather than the air.
6. Small habits that help
- A hot water bottle placed in the bed twenty minutes before you get in warms the sheets rather than the room — far cheaper than any heater.
- Dry clothes outside the bedroom. Drying laundry indoors adds moisture, and damp air feels colder.
- Wear socks to bed. Cold feet are the most common reason people cannot fall asleep in winter.
- Air the room for ten minutes at midday. Fresh dry air warms up faster than stale humid air.
If you do use a heater
Use it to warm the room before bed, then switch it off and rely on bedding overnight. Running a gas heater in a closed room while you sleep is genuinely dangerous: every winter there are deaths in Pakistan from carbon monoxide in sealed rooms. Leave a window slightly open if a gas heater is on, and never use a heater to dry clothes draped over it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to keep a bedroom warm?
Seal the gaps around the door and windows, then add a blanket layer to the bed. Both cost very little and neither uses gas or electricity.
Does a mattress protector make the bed warmer?
A quilted one does. It adds a padded layer between you and a cold mattress, and it keeps the mattress clean at the same time.
Are heavy curtains worth it in Pakistan?
Yes in cities with real winters. Close them before sunset to keep the day's warmth in, and open them in daytime sun.
Is it safe to sleep with a gas heater on?
No. In a closed room a gas heater can produce carbon monoxide. Warm the room before bed, switch it off, and let bedding do the rest.
Do you deliver bedding across Pakistan?
Yes, free delivery all over Pakistan with cash on delivery, usually in 3 to 5 working days.
