Preparing for Winter
It may be depressing to start thinking of the winter months to come but there is no better time to start preparing your home for the winter than now. During the summer months it is easy to forget to prepare for the winter as you are enjoying a few months without having the heating on and enjoying the cheaper electricity bills. But it is important to plan ahead, especially with the cold winter that we experienced last year, you will want to make sure you and your home is ready if another bad winter happens and that you and your family have a comfortable and warm winter period.
Remember, there can be nothing worse than your boiler breaking down when you need it the most, so look after your boiler and central heating system. Make sure that you have your boiler serviced each year by a competent and qualified professional. These professionals can not only ensure that your boiler is meeting the demands you place upon it as well as reaching industry standards but can also offer you useful information on your boiler and maintenance tips.
It is important to know that if your boiler is more than 10 years old then it may be time for it to be replaced. Nowadays there are strict laws on boilers that are fitted in UK homes as they need to be energy-saving condensers. This therefore means that the boilers will be extremely efficient using a higher percentage of fuel and therefore reducing your heating bills. So, even though replacing a boiler may feel like heartache in the long term it is definitely a great investment and will save you money.
It may also be worthwhile considering getting your boiler and central heating insured as this can give you peace of mind over the winter months that if anything goes wrong you will be covered.
Apart from ensuring your boiler is ready for the winter months ahead there are a number of other ways that you can ensure your home is ready for winter. One of the best ways to prepare for a cold snap is to ensure that your loft is insulated. If you want a qualified person to insulate your loft as it will be safer and easier than you doing the work, you should prepare now as they will get booked up in the winter months. By having your loft insulated it will mean that you can reduce your energy bill as you won’t be losing so much heat through your roof. You may also want to consider getting your cavity walls insulated, if this is not already done as this can also make a big difference to your energy bills.
Other useful advice to ensure you are ready for winter includes bleeding your radiators to release any trapped air as this will help increase the heating efficiency. Also, check for draughts and heat that is escaping from your home and fix any gaps in doors and badly fitting windows for example.
Following this type of advice will ensure that you and your home are fully prepared for the winter months. You can then shut the door and relax in your warm home while watching the rain or snow outside, safe in the knowledge your home is prepared fully for the winter ahead.
Article by Sarah Wain, 21st October 2011. Content correct at the date of publication.
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