Getting Your Home Ready For Winter: The Things You Can Do
When the nights start to get darker you know that the colder weather is coming and winter is on the way. The perfect time to hibernate in your home ready for cosy nights in, Christmas, and relaxing with family and friends. But, your home takes the brunt of all of the bad weather. The wind, snow, foggy conditions, and rain can all affect your home in a negative way.
While you can’t predict the weather or stop it from happening, you can ensure that your home is ready for the winter months. With a few adjustments and changes, you can ensure that your home is in the best possible condition to withstand the bad weather days ahead. Here are some of the things that you can do in preparation for the winter months.
Protect your pipework
One of the first things that you can do would be to protect the exterior pipes. This is often where you get the water supply for your home and they can easily freeze up when the temperature drops below freezing. A great tip is to add an extra foam layer around those pipes. This will keep the temperature just a degree or two warmer than the outside, but it could make all of the difference. A frozen pipe might not necessarily cause huge problems apart from cutting off your supply temporarily. But when the pipe warms up and the water defrosts, it can cause an expansion in the pipes, which will cause them to burst.
Clear the gutters and replace where needed
Another thing you might want to do is clear the gutters. During the autumn months, the gutters can be filled with leaves and this can cause blockages. When it rains you will then notice that the gutters can’t work as well as they should be doing. Clearing the gutters will help them to work efficiently. It might be that the wind has caused some damage to the gutters which could lead them to be replaced. There are some excellent options for replacement gutters online at companies such as Clear Amber Shop. This could be a great investment into your home and one you don’t have to do too often. But efficient gutters can help keep things clear, especially during heavy rainfall.
Tidy the garden areas
The garden may have had some use during the summer months but now is the time to clear things away and tidy up. When the wind starts to get stronger the last thing you want is your garden furniture blowing everywhere and chasing a trampoline across your garden. Secure things where possible and make sure fence panels are secure and in place. You can also put away garden furniture in a shed or take action to make them sturdy so that they won’t blow over. We can often get strong winds during the winter, so this is essential to avoid any damage being caused.
Get rid of any fallen leaves from driveways and garden paths
The autumn means fallen leaves and while this may have caused issues with your gutters you will also need to get rid of them off your driveways and paths. When the weather gets too cold it means that those leaves you haven’t cleared away will ice up. You could then potentially slip as you walk from your car to your home. Avoid any accidents by taking some time to clear away the leaves and debris.
Insulate your roof
Heat can escape your home through the roof so it is a good idea to invest in some insulation if possible. This doesn’t need to be an expensive task and often having an expert come in to add extra insulation could make a big difference on your energy bills. If your budget does allow, fresh insulation and boarding in your roof can be a huge advantage. Not just with heating, but also extra storage for your home.
Cover up any draught spots
We can all get draught spots in our homes, especially if you have old windows and doors. If you can, it may be a good time to invest in new UPVC windows and doors to help insulate your home and make it more energy-efficient. But, if you are looking for a quick fix then covering up draught spots is a great short-term solution. You can buy draught excluders online and cover up cracks in window pains and doors. This will stop any heat escaping from your home and hopefully help you to remain in control of your heating bill.
Consider repointing the mortar in the exterior walls
Another thing you could do if you do want to spend on improving your home is to repoint the mortar in your brick walls. Over time this can crack and cause holes which means heat escaping from your home. The weather can also cause damage to your brick walls. Having a bricklayer come in to repoint the mortar will not only help protect it but also aesthetically improve the visual look of the exterior of your home.
Check over your heating system
You might need to consider checking your heating system before the winter months. It won’t have been used for a long time, so there could be air in the system or an issue with your boiler. Getting it checked over ahead of time will put your mind at ease and stop it from breaking down when you need it the most. Plus you could also preempt when things might go wrong and budget for new parts ahead of time.
Invest in your home
Finally, if you do want to invest in your home before winter then you could look at things like improving a conservatory and changing the roof to make it more energy efficient. You could also look at adding things like a wood-burning stove which can be more economical in heating your home. New heating systems and also looking at solar panels can also help you save money through the winter months.
I hope these suggestions help you to get your home ready for winter.
