For Homeowners across the UK, winter poses a whole slew of challenges. Keeping the place warm, and keeping wear and tear at bay, will require a little bit of preparation and investment. In many cases, spending a little beforehand can help save you from a major headache later on.

Let’s take a look at a few ways to get your home ready for the coming season.

Reviewing your insulation

If your home isn’t properly insulated, then the money you spend on heating will end up going out of the window (or through the roof). Review your current insulation, and see where the biggest improvements are to be made. If your loft is lacking in insulation, then bringing it up to the recommended 270mm may save you hundreds each year.

Reviewing your heating system

The equipment you use to actually heat the place will also make a big difference. This means radiators and boilers. This isn’t just a question of how efficient your boiler and radiators are, but how suited they are to the space that they’re heating. Installing modern thermostatic radiator valves, and modulating boiler controls, will also go a way towards reducing your heating bills.

Bleed radiators

Over time, air will become trapped at the tops of your radiators. The taller the radiator, the likelier this is. You can get around this by bleeding the radiator. This is something anyone can do easily with the help of a radiator key and a rag.

Get a dehumidifier

You want to keep mould at bay, but you don’t want to open the windows and let all the warm air out. The solution is a dehumidifier. It will suck all of the excess moisture out of the air, and prevent damp, mold, and other problems from gaining a foothold, even when you’re drying clothes indoors.

Insulating pipes

If you have water pipes running through colder areas of the home, like garages and loft spaces, then they’ll be vulnerable to bursting. This is because water expands just as it freezes, putting huge pressure on the surrounding pipe. You can get around this by cladding the pipe itself.

Drawing Curtains

Heavier curtains will prevent the warm air inside your home from circulating near to the window, which will reduce the transmission of heat. Of course, for this to work you have to actually draw the curtains. Do this at night-time, when you aren’t going to be gaining any heat from the sunlight.

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Image Credits:
Image 2: Image by Aaron Yoo on Flickr