Tip 1: Look after your Plumbing
Your plumbing will be under a great deal more strain during the winter months as there is more demand for hot water. This increases the chances of expansion or cracking due to cold and the likelihood of pipes becoming frozen during bad weather. There are several things that you can do to protect your plumbing at this time.
Make sure that all of your pipes are well-maintained and keep drains free from autumn leaves. If you have exposed pipes above ground, keep these warm by wrapping them with material and plastic sheeting. This will help to stop water freezing in the pipes. If you do experience any kind of problem with the pipes during the winter period, call a plumber soon to ensure that the problem doesn’t get worse, or even result in pipes bursting or leaking.
Tip 2: Have your Boiler maintained
The summertime is the best time to have your boiler maintained so that when winter comes around it is in perfect working condition. Your boiler should be examined to ensure that it is not burning any noxious gasses and that its pressure is stable. Check that the timer and clock are both in good working order and remember to reset the clock if there has been any power outage. If you have wireless thermostats, change the batteries. It is also a good idea to give your system a run-though before the cold weather begins so that you will know if anything is wrong in time to get the boiler fixed.
Tip 3: Check your alarms
The winter is also a good time to test out all of your alarms, including fire alarms and the carbon monoxide monitor. If you have not tested these for a while, you may also want to start by replacing the batteries. There should be a small button on your device which can be pressed, which will ring out until you press the button a second time. Checking that the alarms work perfectly will help to keep your family safe. If you don’t have a carbon monoxide alarm, it is worth fitting one of these to your boiler as they can warn you about noxious gasses which are invisible and tasteless.
Tip 4: Seal off draughts
Now is the perfect time to make sure that your home is free from draughts. This is harder in any house built before the 1950s so you may need to invest in a draught excluder. Check the radiators to make sure that they are fully functioning and bleed them before they are used for the first time. This will help to keep the radiators topped up and ensure that they put out as much heat as possible. Cover gaps in window frames with newspaper until they can be repaired. You should also take the time to lock these windows so that they don’t rattle loose during high winds. Keep bare floors warm by covering them with carpets and rugs, and make sure that you keep the doors of unused rooms closed, so that cold air can’t circulate
Michael Blake is the Founder of one of South-East London’s leading emergency plumbing companies- DRMB Plumbing & Heating. Michael thinks it is extremely important to prepare your home winter in order to prevent cold nights and boiler breakdowns.