Waking up to frost on your car in the mornings certainly isn’t fun, but it is a sign that the colder months are upon us. Not only is it a good idea to ensure your car is ready for Winter, but also that your home is ready for Winter and the problems that it may bring. Unsure of where to start? Let’s have a look at some of the ways in which you can get ready!
How To Prepare Your Home For Winter
Bleeding your radiators
With heating systems sitting idle during the summer months, you may find that air accumulates in your radiators and needs to be released. It’s a good idea to bleed your radiators before relying turning your heating up for Winter, to get rid of the excess air and ensure your radiators are heating up fully. This is an easy task you can do yourself at home with a radiator bleed key and an old towel to collect any water that leaks during the process.
Crank up the boiler
Now is a good time to check out your boiler before any major problems occur during the colder months. Turn up your radiators (after following the step above!) and check they are all working and heating up correctly. If you hear any out of the ordinary noises from your boiler or radiators are not heating up correctly. It maybe wise to call in a plumber, such as Bishops Plumbers for a boiler service now before they get too busy! Making sure your boiler runs efficiently also helps reduce your carbon footprint too!
Clearing your gutters
A job that requires the use of ladders I’m afraid! Clearing your gutters and drains before the bad weather sets in helps to ensure no blockages and the extra problems they create. If left, blocked guttering and drains can lead to leaks in the roof and walls, alongside the weight of added rainwater and snow cracking and breaking your guttering. It’s a grubby job, but well worth the time sorting this now!
Keep your pipes warm
External pipes especially are likely to succumb to the cold weather and can lead to your boiler not firing up if the pipes become frozen. It’s advised to lag pipes that are exposed to ensure they do not freeze, which can lead to pipes bursting. If you do find you have a frozen pipe, wrap well with a towel and slowly pour warm water over the pipe to help thaw it out. Careful not to pour boiling water though and always ensure you wrap a towel around the pipe first as if they water it too hot, it can lead to cracked pipes.
These tips cover the areas to prepare that can lead to the serious problems over the winter months if you leave unchecked.
