Winter is coming and so are the dangers of the cold weather, not only do the roads freeze and the snow fall, but your home can suffer from such dramatic changes in weather too. Your pipes may get cold and the heating bills will rise. Check below to read our top tips for preparing your home for the coming winter months.
Draughts
When you’re sat at home and you are comfy and all of a sudden you find yourself in the middle of a chilly breeze, This is the cause of draughts. These come from air leakage in the home from gaps in the windows and doors and even the sockets and switches! These problems can be fixed with self-adhesive draught strips or even one of those cuddly heavy snakes that sit at the bottom of doors or windows.
Guttering
During the Autumn months, all the leaves fall off the trees and will land directly in your guttering, The beginning of winter or earlier is a perfect time to clean all your guttering to make sure no water builds up and gets blocked. Cleaning the gutters will be a cold and wet job but it is one that’s extremely worthwhile. Get up high on the ladder and scoop all the leaves our with your hands and then once done make sure you wash the gutters out with a hosepipe to make sure they are squeaky clean
Radiators
Your radiators may feel cold at the top and warm at the bottom, this is a sign that there is trapped air in them which is stopping the heat from circulating properly. All that’s needed is the special key and some towels and you can get going! This is a two person job and things will get messy if you don’t be careful!
Insulation
Insulation is one of those things that seems to cost a huge amount. The truth is there are many government subsidiaries and grants that can help you get your house the woolly jumper it deserves. The fact is that 25% of the house heat is lost through the roof insulating the loft space in your house can make a huge difference to the saving you get and the overall warmth of your home.
Lagging
Lagging is the term for the foam cardigan that goes around your pipes to stop them from bursting, In the winter months, house pipes go through rapid freezing and thawing putting them at massive risk of bursting and causing huge amounts of damage and cost. Making sure the pipes have insulation is a brilliant idea to prevent and surprise bursts.
Sort out your boiler
A poorly maintained boiler is an inefficient one that will cost you more. Getting your boiler serviced can reduce the costs you pay by up to £235 a year (according to the Energy Saving Trust) and also it may reduce the risk of a carbon monoxide leak in your home. If your boiler is really old, it may be worth it to get an upgrade to really save some money!
