Prepare Your Home Ready for The Winter Months

Although most people realise it’s necessary to check their drainage, plumbing and heating systems before the cold winter months, there are still plenty of homeowners who do absolutely nothing – and end up paying out a lot of money because of this relaxed attitude.

Heating bills are liable to double in the winter as a lot of the heat escapes through the attic, windows or doors. There are certain things you can do to make the house a cosier place during the cold spell which can reduce your bills, and plenty of other jobs you should also do to ensure you don’t get landed with a hefty repair bill from weather damage that could have been avoided if you had planned and prepared in advance.

Sufficient insulation is important and as most of the heat escapes through the roof the attic particularly should be well insulated. It’s easy enough to do yourself if preferred, just go to your nearest DIY store and buy some Fiberglass insulation, it comes in rolls that you simply unfold and lay down on the floor of the attic and acts as a protective blanket keeping the heat where it should be, inside the house.

Check for and seal any cracks visible around the insides and outsides of the window frames and doors to reduce drafts, extra thick curtains are always a good way to keep a room warm too once they’re closed at night.

Before the bad weather really starts take a look at the rain gutters to check for possible blockages, especially if there are trees around the property that may have dropped leaves in the autumn and be clogging the drains up. These can create barriers to the water flow resulting in heavy water streams down the side of your house and possibly into the foundations.

One big problem in the winter that affects many is water freezing in the pipes when the temperature reaches freezing point, and this in turn can cause the pipes to crack and burst. A burst pipe in the attic or basement can cause a lot of damage and create a lot of work for you too. If you notice the water pressure is low in the house then this is a good sign of pipes freezing. It’s advisable to allow a small trickle of water to flow from the tap during the night time as this movement will prevent the water from freezing.

Wrap up the pipes that are located in cold places, this includes the attic and any crawl spaces underneath the house, even those in the garage. There are a few options available for this, such as foam insulation and heat tape, again easily purchased from a DIY shop, or you can always call a plumbing company to come and do the preparations for you.

Keep the central heating on as much as possible, many people make the mistake of turning it off completely when away on holiday and then return to find the pipes have burst. The heating will keep the house warm as well as help the pipes from freezing.

If you don’t prepare these essential things then the odds are that you’ll have to call out a plumber to deal with an emergency that could have been so easily avoided.