With winter arriving upon us so quickly, it is time to start preparing your property for the winter month’s. The last thing you want, is to discover your boiler is broken when its freezing outside. To avoid these problems as best as possible, you can ‘winter proof’ your property, using our tips and tricks! Whether this is clearing out your gutters or keeping on top of your heating.
Use our helpful hints, to ensure that your property stays in good condition, over the coming winter months!
5 Tips and Tricks
- Maintaining gutters
Due to it being the time of year where the leaves begin to fall off the trees, they can become a real nuisance when they fall into your gutters, causing them to block up. Blocked gutters can also be a large expense when it comes to unblocking them. So its in your best interest to sort out any gutter related problems before the winter months set in.
In order to clear your gutters, you will need a ladder, and a tool with is capable of removing any leaves or blockages in the gutters. However, this can be a dangerous job for some, due to the height of the gutters on their property. So it may be best for you to arrange a professional to come and do it for you.
- Bleeding your radiators
If you switch your heating on and your house doesn’t seem to be warming up, check your radiators to see if they are getting warm, if not, you may need to bleed your radiators. You will be able to tell if your radiators need bleeding if they are only warming up at the bottom but not at the top. If the radiator is completely cold, you may need help from a professional.
You can bleed the radiator, using a special key. The process for this involves releasing air which is trapped inside the radiator, stopping part of the radiator heating up fully.
Take a look at the British Gas video, on how to bleed a radiator! - Ventilation
Condensation and damp is a big problem in may homes. There are many steps you can take to avoid damp and condensation. The worst time of year for condensation and damp is the winter, so make sure everything is up to scratch before the winter hits.
One step you can take is to check the extractor fans, you can do this by taking the covers off and making sure they are free of any dust or build-up. This is important to check in areas where it is likely that humidity will be at a high level, for example in areas such as the bathroom and the kitchen.
However, the best and easiest way to avoid condensation and damp, is to keep the property well ventilated, you can do this by opening the window, just a tiny bit, a 10mm gap will do just fine!
- Boiler
It is recommended that you have your boiler serviced every year, this will highlight any problems, therefore they can be sorted before the winter hits.
The boiler pressure will usually need to be topped up once or twice a year. After not using it all throughout the summer, this may need topping up. - Home security
The crime rates in the UK evidently become higher in the winter months, due to this it is best that you check the security of your doors, windows, fences and gates. Also consider whether it may be useful to get some extra home security, like CCTV.
