With the rising cost of living in the UK pushing up food, fuel, and general living costs, many families must avoid massive bills this winter. Typically winter is when our homes are under more pressure, with more families spending time indoors to avoid the bad weather meaning there is extra strain on home appliances.
But how can you avoid the added cost of emergency callouts and repairs this winter? It is about putting measures in place before the weather changes and demand for services rises. Let’s look at some suggestions around preparing your home for winter.
Service Your Boiler
With most households turning their central heating off from around April until the temperatures drop, the sudden increase in use can strain your system and increase the risk of failure or problems.
Having your boiler checked before you need to use it can help you to identify any issues or problems you might come up against and allow you to rectify them. Book a heating engineer who can check over your system and make necessary repairs to help you avoid failure when you need it the most.
Check Your Radiators
While you are having your boiler serviced, now is the perfect time to check the health of your radiators. Are they working as they need to? The easiest way to do this is to turn your heating on and look for signs of leaks and uneven temperatures across your radiator. Noisy radiators can indicate loose components or an issue with your pressure. Cold spots in your radiator can mean the air is present, and you need to release the air by bleeding the radiators. Start with the furthest away and work your way to the closest radiators.
Clean Your Gutters
It can be tricky to clean your gutters if you have a multi-story home; however, blocked gutters can cause damp and mould issues within the house and affect your quality of life and the building’s structural integrity.
Blocked gutters can be due to a build-up of leaves debris, bird nests, pests, and many more environmental issues. It can also be due to a problem with your roof. Cracked and damaged roofing materials will make their way to your gutters, causing blockages and giving you more significant issues. So before the weather changes, ensure you have cleaned your gutters and have your roof inspected.
Clean Up Outdoors
With the change in season comes inclement weather conditions, and our homes and external grounds can come under pressure. From strong winds, thunderstorms, excessive rainfall and freezing conditions, the British winter can put us through our paces. So before the weather changes, ensure you have cleaned your gardens and outdoor areas and secured or stored away any garden furniture and ornaments that can become damaged.
Learn How to Trap the Heat
If you don’t want to crank up the heating too much or feel like a marshmallow wrapped up in every jumper and woolly hat you own, you can learn how to trap the what in your home. There are many ways to do this, including identifying gaps and closing them up or using blackout curtains to insulate the heat throughout the day.
You can click here to find products that match your home’s decor so that nothing looks out of place. Or, you can also speak to a professional who should be able to recommend the right approach and even install the curtains for you, meaning you can settle on the sofa with a hot cup of tea
Conclusion
The more preparation you put into preparing your home before winter, the fewer repairs you will likely come across, and your home will be ready to take on everything the coldest part of the year has to bring before it arrives. Pay attention to the details of your home you use more such as your heating, and tidy away areas you won’t use so much to avoid excessive damage.
