Winter is here, and it’s pretty freezing at home. With the cost of fuel and energy going up drastically, (as well as everything else it seems), so many of us are looking to make sure we’re getting the most bang for our buck when it comes to paying those bills.
Making sure your house is prepared for the winter months can actually save you money, not just this year but for many to come. Let’s take a look at how to get your home ready for winter to keep it cost and warm.
Check Your Insulation
Insulation is what keeps your home warm. It also helps to keep it cooler in the summer (so even if you live in warmer climes, it’s worth checking your insulation for this too). If your insulation is compromised, your home will be colder.
One way to check your insulation is to feel if you have cold walls or floors inside. Alternatively, if you have an uneven temperature throughout the house, some insulation might have failed or need replacing. Insulation is no longer working effectively if it is squashed or damp. You can often check this in your attic, too if you have one.
So, how to improve your insulation?
If you have an attic, it’s imperative you install LoftZone raised loft boards, rather than just the typical ply board over joists or beams. If you’re placing this wood directly over the soft insulation, you will be compressing it. Raised loft boards can be installed simply, even by a DIY novice. You’re likely to see marked decreases in your heating bills year on year just by making this change.
Keep Draughts Out
Ever avoid sitting in a certain spot in your home because you know you are going to get caught in a cold draught? Yeah, so do loads of us! If you can work out that the draught is coming from a nearby door or window, this should be super quick and cheap to fix.
Seal ill-fitting doors and windows using simple, sticky rubber strips. If these still aren’t enough, you may need to replace the door or window altogether, though this can get a little more expensive.
How do you keep your windows and doors in shape so you don’t have to replace them? To avoid your doors and windows warping and becoming misshapen, you should treat the wooden fixtures in your home. This is because extreme cold and damp causes wood to expand, hold water and then rot.
A simple layer of wood preserver, oil or treatment can be purchased from any DIY shop. Just then paint this onto your window sills and door frames to protect against the cold for all the winters to come.
Don’t forget to do this on an annual basis if you live somewhere prone to colder weather.
Clear Out Your Gutters
Keeping your gutters clear is completely free if you can get up to clear them yourself. It’s not an enjoyable job, but it can prevent you from experiencing leaks into the roof, attic and walls.
When your gutters are full, the external drainage system of your home will fail. This can lead to water trickling down a wall in your house, which can lead to dampness and mold, which has a whole host of problems associated with it. If this gets too far, mold can be extremely costly to eradicate and repair.
Look to upgrade your boiler
Depending on where you live, you could be entitled to government help with paying for a new boiler. If you live in rented accommodation, check with your local authorities to ensure your landlord has provided an appropriate boiler and it has been serviced recently.
Newer boilers are more energy efficient. So, if you’re the bill payer, you’re going to see immediate benefits. You can also cut your carbon emissions, which is great! However, one of the biggest benefits of a new boiler is a more sophisticated thermostat and timer settings.
You can enjoy an ambient temperature throughout your home in winter to ensure the temperature never drastically drops. It’s actually more energy-efficient to have your heating on low consistently than it is to have it off completely and then turn it up on high for a few hours every day.
This is because the boiler needs less energy to maintain a temperature. With smart meters, you can also track how much you’re spending on your heating. Don’t forget to get your boiler serviced to check its efficiency too!
The last thing you need is to contract in error with a warm-up frame mixed in. Most dealers run a variety of tests to ensure the heater is working accurately, which involves inspecting the inside regulator, channel, and any electrical parts.
Assuming you are thinking of installing new windows in your home, now is the time. A new modern window is continually being proposed to help trap heat and protect your home. Check your home for cracks or breaks, especially at window and door jambs. Do your best to repair a portion of these breaks to prevent cold drafts from entering.
A lot of top dealers recommend using a decent quality window, one that’s a weather coat, that’s a top-notch A-rated window… it’s doable to go to a higher-tech but it’s not very common sense as it would cost a lot more, however, A-Rated is about as high as you’d need. Another issue that is extremely critical is the risk of freezing pipes during the coldest time of the year.
The inability to avoid this inconvenience can block the water supply or even break the lines in general. This can be an expensive mishap to fix and something you really don’t want to happen in the cold months. In addition to open pipes, other lines associated with your home can also freeze if exposed to frigid temperatures, so it may be best to seek help from a knowledgeable tradesman as soon as possible.
