With the temperature beginning to drop and the cold nights drawing in, it’s time we all take the necessary steps needed to prepare our homes for the cold wintery months ahead. Though this may not be the top of everybody’s thoughts right now, understandably, but with how 2020 has gone so far, it’s better to be safe than sorry. We’ve put together a few cold weather tips for home and gardens.
So, if you’re thinking about how to prepare for cold weather, we’ve got you covered.
Lag Your Pipes
By lagging your pipes, you are able to massively reduce the amount of heat that will escape through any of your piping. This means you will be able to keep your home nice and toasty, whilst also cutting down on the amount you are spending on your energy bills, a real win-win situation. To do this all you need to so is purchase some foam insulation tubes which can then be slid over to cover the pipes.
Insulate Your Loft
It may sound like a simple tip but making sure your loft space is fully insulated will massively help you out in the colder winter months, by enabling you to keep heat in and cold air out, as there’s nothing worse than a pesky draft seeping in when you’re trying to get cosy. Although this may be a larger cost to pay up front, the amount you are likely to save in the future will definitely outweigh any costs involved. Especially, considering the amount of time we are all spending in our homes at the moment.
Need to make a little extra space to be able to fit any insulation? We have a number of different shirt-term storage solutions that could help you out.
Check Your Roofing
Before the bad weather begins to come thick and fast, we would strongly suggest checking over your roof to ensure there are no cracked, damaged, or loose tiles, as if there are any vulnerable tiles it may only take a few heavy downpours or strong winds to cause havoc with your roof. If there are only a couple of individually loose or damaged tiles these can usually be replaced, however if the damage is more severe it may be advisable to get your roof re-done before it is too late.
Clear Your Gutters
As leaves fall from trees and other types of moss and dirt begin to build up in your gutters was they can very quickly become blocked. If so, all it takes is a heavy downpour for your gutters to start collecting water, eventually then starting to leak into your roof. Now that’s something no one wants to be having to deal with this winter.
Fix Broken Fences
Fence damage is often a consequence of strong winds and stormy weather, both of which we tend to get throughout the winter in the UK. Therefore, we’d suggest putting some time aside to ensure all your fences, gates and other areas surrounding your property are strong, stable and secure. Not to mention helping to offer a little more security to your home during the darker months and helping to prevent burglaries and break-ins.
Check Your Heating System
There’s nothing worse than losing out on heat and hot water. Therefore we strongly suggest that you have your boiler and heating system checked prior to the cold weather to be on the safe side. As you definitely don’t want to be stuck at home, in the dark winter months without any hot water.
*Side note: ensure that anyone you have to check your boiler and home heating system is a registered plumber.
Now you have the house sorted and ready for anything winter can throw at you, perhaps you’ll be interested in getting your bathroom organised? After all, it’s likely we’ll all have some time to kill this winter.