Baby, it’s cold outside! – Getting Your Home Ready for Winter

How many times have you said ‘It’s freezing outside’ lately? Winter is well and truly here and unfortunately, it’s not leaving anytime soon. So now is the time for getting your home ready for winter!

It’s time to put the heating up, turn the fire on and get all cosy under the blankets. But before you get too comfortable, make sure that everything is set for those cold winter evenings.

Just like Santa, there’s nothing wrong with checking a list twice. And if you’re not sure what to do, we’ve put our top tips together for you. So keep on reading to ensure that the cold doesn’t bother you anyway as we get your home ready for winter 2019 and beyond!

1. Check Your Boiler

This is one of the most crucial steps in our checklist, especially over the next few months. It can cost up to £1,430 to replace it if it’s not working properly!

How old is your boiler? The reason we’re asking is that if you’ve had yours for a good number of years, the more inefficient it will be. It’s vital to check the pressure gauge and it’s easy to do so.

Locate the pressure gauge on your boiler. If there is the correct amount of pressure in your system, the needle should be between 1 and 2 bars. This area is usually designated in green.

Below 1 and greater than 2 is in red, indicating critical zones and you should contact your gas company immediately.

2. Draughtproof Windows and Doors

There’s nothing worse when you feel a cold draught coming in, even when all your doors and windows are shut! Three areas to look for draughts are:

• The gaps between the window and the frame
• Caulk on the outside of the window frame
• The area around any locks or catches

Most DIY stores will have the right materials to help you block out the draughts and will be very inexpensive – save money on your energy bills this winter!

3. Bleed the Radiators

A simple procedure that will save you money in the long run! You’ll need to identify which radiators will need bleeding and this can be done by turning your heating on. If the radiator is cold at the top and hot at the bottom, that’s the ones to bleed!

What you will need is a radiator bleed key – used to open up the radiator vent valve, cloth or towel – to catch drips and turn your heating off to ensure bleeding is done correctly.

Look for the valve and turn it anti-clockwise, what your wanting to hear is a hissing sound. Once the water begins to flow, just tighten the value once more and the job’s a done deal!

4. Clear Your Gutters

If you’re wondering where all those leaves have fallen during autumn, chances are they’ll be in your gutter. Gutters and drains can get clogged with loose foliage.

Once the block becomes too much, water will start to collect in your gutter and eventually start leaking into your roof. Clear your gutters to avoid this fateful scenario.

5. Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Sadly, winter is the time most house fires happen. We are also much more likely to have our home closed uptight, so carbon monoxide is a much bigger hazard.

Take some time out and check all of your smoke detectors to make sure they are working and that they have good batteries.

If your home is not equipped with a carbon monoxide detector, do consider getting one, it could save your life.

6. Make Room for Christmas

It’s that time of year where we bring everything out from cupboards, lofts and sheds as the countdown to Christmas is on! Don’t feel stressed by all the clutter that’s around your home.

Here are a few things which will help you get ready for Christmas:

• Expired food – give your fridge and freezer a good clean before buying all your festive food.
• Decorations – make way for new decorations by getting rid of broken fairy lights or baubles you haven’t used in years.
• Boxes – recycle old cardboard boxes & free up space to hide presents or make room for your Christmas tree.
• Cleaning supplies – again, if you haven’t used it in a while, chances are it can go. No reason to keep it if you don’t like it.

And if decluttering is not enough, we can help increase the storage in your home with award-winning loft boarding, loft ladders & lighting!