Is your home ready for winter? Here are 6 ways to keep your household safe, warm and dry!
With the nights drawing in and the days getting colder and wetter, now is the perfect time to get your home ready for winter. Don’t get caught out by a faulty boiler when you need it most, or by draughts that send your heating bills soaring. Here are the checks and fixes to do now, before it gets any colder.
- Check and maintain your heating system
Your heating system is vital during the winter months – so you need to make sure it’s in tip-top condition.
- Turn your heating on and check it’s running well.
- If you’ve got no hot water or your radiators aren’t heating up, check your boiler pressure. Low water pressure is a common problem with combi boilers and pressurised systems. Your pressure should be between 1 and 1.5 bars. If it isn’t, consult the manufacturer’s manual to find out how to repressurise it.
- Check your radiators are piping hot. If not, it’s time to bleed them to let out any air that has gathered in the system.
- If you have a boiler, it should be serviced annually. If your service is going to be due soon, schedule a visit from a Gas Safe engineer.
- Annual servicing is needed for heat pumps too, so if you have one, get a service booked before the weather turns really cold.
- If you have a heat pump, you should also make sure the airflow hasn’t become blocked with leaves or other debris – go outside, check it, and clear it if necessary.
- Consider buying a programmable thermostat: this allows you to set your heating system to lower temperatures when you’re away or asleep, helping you save on energy costs.
2. Insulate and seal your home
Draughts and poor insulation are major sources of heat loss. Addressing these issues can significantly improve your home’s energy efficiency and comfort:
- Insulate your attic: heat rises, so a lot of it can escape through your ceilings. Insulating the attic will keep the warmth in.
- Weatherstrip doors and windows: check for gaps and replace weatherstripping as needed.
- Use draft stoppers at the bottom of doors to block cold air.
- Seal gaps and cracks: check the exterior of your home for any gaps or cracks in the foundation, walls, or windows. Using caulk or foam insulation to seal these can have a big impact on your heating bills.
3. Protect your pipes
Frozen pipes can lead to costly repairs and water damage. Prevent this by following these steps:
- Insulate exposed pipes: this includes outdoors pipes and pipes in unheated areas like basements, garages and lofts. Use pipe insulation sleeves or heat tape to keep them warm.
- Make sure your taps don’t drip: there’s myth that letting taps drip slowly can prevent pipes from freezing – but in reality, dripping taps are bad news. They can even cause your drains to freeze, causing water to back up to your sink, which can lead to an overflow.
- Locate your stopcock so you can quickly shut off your water supply in the case of an emergency.
- Know the first signs of a problem: these can include reduced water flow from your shower or taps, frosty or wet pipes, strange noises when water is running, and damp marks on walls or ceilings.
- If you’re going away and it’s likely to freeze, consider turning your water supply off at the stopcock then running your taps until the pipes are empty. Remember to close the taps after you’ve done this, to avoid gushing water when you turn the stopcock back on after you return.
4. Check your roof and guttering
With increased rainfall on the way, it’s important to check the parts of your home you can’t easily see.
- Clear leaves and debris out of gutters and drainpipes to ensure proper drainage. This can prevent ice dams and water damage during winter.
- Inspect your roof for damage and make the necessary repairs to prevent leaks and heat loss.
5. Make sure you’re protected from carbon monoxide
With the boiler running, and maybe a real fire or wood burner fired up too, it’s important to protect your family.
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working and replace or change the batteries as needed.
- Get your chimney cleaned and fireplace checked: if you have a fireplace or wood burner, have it cleaned and inspected to ensure it operates safely and efficiently. Keep the damper closed when not in use to prevent warm air from escaping.
Need help?
At ADS we have decades of experience in keeping homes safe and warm. From insulation work to boiler servicing, we can help you get winter-ready. Get in touch today to find out more.