Upgrades To Help Your Home Through The Winter

Winter can be tough on a house, with much harsher weather causing a lot of wear and tear, that can be difficult to keep repaired. To help your home best get through the winter in good condition, get prepared and make some upgrades ready for getting through the Winter.

Clean your gutters

Before the weather gets too bad for you to do outside jobs, clear any leaves or other debris from your guttering. If they’re clear, water can flow freely and drain away as it should, instead of getting blocked and overflowing, causing damp and damage to your exterior wall coatings.  

Check your roof

Make sure there are no leaks or loose tiles that will allow rain to get in and cause damage. If you find any problems, bring in roofers as soon as possible to fix the issues before it gets any worse. A leaking roof can cause very expensive damage. 

Put in loft insulation

Insulation will help your home to keep as warm as possible in winter and cooler in summer. Your home will be more energy efficient too, which can help you to lower your heating bill. 

Lag your pipes

Wrap your pipes in stop them from freezing. Frozen pipes cause a lot of problems in a home, and can even burst, so they must be protected. Concentrate the protection on key areas, such as pipes in the garage, or that run in your garden. If your pipes do freeze, you can use hot water or a hairdryer to melt the blockage. 

Get your boiler serviced

Never miss your boiler’s service, as getting it checked means you know it’s running safely and efficiently. Try and time your service to just before the worst weather starts, so you know your boiler is in the best condition to survive the time it will have to work hardest. 

Look at security

The longer nights mean it’s darker for longer, which can make it harder to put off someone planning to break in. When you’re not using them, move valuables like laptops to where they can’t be seen from your windows so they can’t be seen. Fit motion-sensitive lights outside; these will be useful for you when you get home in the dark but will also deter anyone approaching your home. Lights on a timer can also give the impression that someone is at home, even when you’re out. 

Upgrade to double-glazing

Double glazing keeps some of the heat in, keeping your house warm and your heating bills lower. Hang thick curtains over windows and doors to trap even more heat inside and block drafts.

Trim back trees

When temperatures start to drop, tree branches can become brittle and break off. Falling branches can cause a lot of damage if they land on your house. To avoid this, before it gets really cold, cut back any branches that would hit your home if they fell. 

Get your home ready for winter, to keep it warm, cosy, and in good repair.