Even if it is still fairly warm outside, you might want to start considering the best ways to prepare your home for the Winter months. Leaving some of these preparations until the cold hits may mean it is too late to do anything about certain issues, or that contractors are already fully booked working elsewhere. By planning ahead of time, you might be able to make the colder months enjoyable and warm within your home.
Service the Boiler
A problem with the boiler during Winter could cause a lot of problems, from needing to pay an additional callout fee for immediate response, to losing your heating or hot water for a prolonged period. Instead, it can be a good idea to have this serviced before the cold weather really hits. This way, should you need to replace the boiler completely, you can shop around to find the cost of a new boiler and installation at a price that suits you, as well as at a time that is convenient. Winter starts on 1st December each year, so you may want to start thinking about your service in October or early November.
Buy Rock Salt
As the weather turns bitter, you may be more likely to see vehicles gritting the road surfaces across the country. This is to help prevent ice from building up, which could cause some pretty serious accidents. Gritting doesn’t just need to be used on roads or public pavements. You could opt to invest in a small quantity of rock salt, which could be spread on your driveway, front walkway, and even garden paths, to help make these areas a little bit safer and prevent slips or falls occurring when moving to and from your home. In addition to this, the use of rock salt may help to prevent you from getting blocked in, should there be a high amount of snowfall. You may want to be cautious of placement near any lawns or plants, as rock salt has the ability to dehydrate and kill them.
Insulate
Areas of your home may be losing heat, and driving up your energy bills, during the colder months. Whether this be due to windows not fitting correctly, or walls lacking insulation, you might want to rectify these before the cold hits. Even if you can’t afford to have things properly fixed now, there are DIY methods that can improve the insulation of your home. One suggestion can be to cover windows with clear film which will still allow the light to shine in, but keep the cold out, and retain heat. Otherwise, you may also want to use door bumpers to reduce drafts from causing noise and chills within your home.
The Winter weather may be unpleasant outside, so you might want to turn your home into a safe haven. This can usually be achieved by planning ahead prior to the cold’s arrival, considering both safety and efficiency when you do so.
