When the weather is cold outside our homes are a safe space of warmth and relaxation. Before the wintertime, there are a few home maintenance chores that require your attention in order to prepare your home for winter. To stay warm this winter, pop these five tasks on your to-do list.
1 . Reduce Your Loss of Heat
Unless your home is energy efficient you’ll be losing money and heat. Now might be a good time to check the insulation in your walls and roof, ensuring that the materials are intact and that there are no gaps. Check for cracks in your walls, or gaps around your windows. You can re-seal these, along with any other drafty spots.
2 . Check Your Roof & Gutters
Before the winter months begin you should check your gutters and your roofing. If your roof is broken or cracked this could cause leaks, and damage the structures of your home. Unless you have your roof repaired your energy bills are likely to increase. The best course of action is to hire a roofing company to assess the state of your roof and make any necessary repairs. If your gutter is full of debris you’ll need to clear this out, to avoid leaks and drainage issues.
3. Insulate Your Pipes
During the winter months, many homeowners have trouble with freezing pipes or burst pipes. To prevent these problems it’s a good idea to insulate your pipes. You can purchase sponge covers to wrap your pipes. To avoid freezing pipes here are a few other pointers:
- When you are away from the property ensure that you leave the heating on, the temperature should be set to between 12-15C
- Run your taps a little more than usual, this will help to circulate the water.
- Leave the door to your loft hatch open, and the door to your under sink cabinets.
4. Bleed Your Radiators
You may need to bleed your radiators if they aren’t reaching maximum heat. When air gets trapped inside your radiator this stops the warm air from circulating. If your radiator is cold at the top this is a sign it needs bleeding.
You’ll need to switch off your heating first. Take a radiator key and turn this in the valve, (you should turn the key in an anti-clockwise direction). There’ll be a hissing noise, which is the trapped air escaping. A little water will come out of the radiator, (but this is fine). When the noise stops you can tighten the valve again.
5. Winter Gardening Tips
During the wintertime you might need to protect your plants from the frost, one of the best ways to do this is to cover them up with a blanket. It’s also a good idea to add mulch to the soil, this is helpful to prevent soil erosion and compaction. To improve your backyard it’s important to care for your plants all year around.
Getting all these home maintenance chores done before the winter will help you to keep your home cozy, energy-efficient and secure.
