You’ve sorted your Halloween decorations, you’ve already started the Christmas prep, but there’s one crucial thing you’re forgetting:
Have you prepared your house for winter?
We’re not just talking about pulling your cosy sweaters, scarves, and winter boots out of storage.
You might not realise it, but there’s a process that every single homeowner needs to go through to prepare their house for winter.
Keep your heating on
Are you heading away for an extended period of time? It might seem like a waste of money, but you should always ensure that your heating is on, whether you’re going to be home or not.
We’re not suggesting that you keep your house heated to 30℃ 24/7 when you’re not home, but you should always make sure that your heating is on low for even just a couple of hours a day.
This will help stop your pipes from bursting and is much cheaper than short bursts of high heat. It’s also significantly cheaper than repairing a burst pipe which can cause damage to carpets, furniture, and walls. Repairing a burst pipe can cost anywhere from £150 to over £300, but the cost of replastering and repainting in the worst-case scenario can be significantly higher.
Where’s your Stop Tap?
Otherwise known as a ‘stopcock’ or a ‘stop valve’, it’s vital that you know where this is before the cold weather sets in. This controls the cold-water supply to your home. Cold temperatures can cause your pipes to freeze, and as they start to thaw, you might find that pipes burst and cause water leaks throughout your house.
You don’t want to deal with water spraying all over your house and not knowing where your stop tap is. By turning off your supply at the stop tap, you’ll be able to minimise the amount of water escaping and therefore reduce the damage. We also recommend testing it regularly to check that your stop tap hasn’t seized up and covering or ‘lagging’ your pipes with insulation to reduce the risk of a burst.
Get your boiler serviced
There’s nothing worse than your boiler breaking down when the forecast is predicting temperatures below zero.
A regularly serviced boiler can drastically reduce the chances of breakdown, so aim to have this done regularly throughout the year. Servicing your boiler allows engineers to identify any issues that could become serious problems down the line. Remember that it’s usually cheaper and easier to organise this in the summer rather than the autumn or winter.
Is there anything you could claim?
Are you worried about being able to afford to heat your home this winter?
There are plenty of schemes and discounts to help those on a lower income, so this is well worth speaking about with your energy provider. One scheme (the Cold Weather Payment) pays out £25 a day for every week that the temperature is 0℃ or lower for more than seven days.
