Now is the time to prepare for colder weather | Mum In The Madhouse

Now is the time to prepare for colder weather

As winter draws nearer temperatures will start to drop and it’s important you’re prepared for the impact this might have on your home life. While it’s not necessary to make drastic changes to your property it could be a savvy move to invest in boiler insurance to ensure you’re not left without heating for too long. Here are a few other ways to minimise the chances of being caught cold in the coming months:

Know your home

If you aren’t already fully clued up about your home there’s no time like the present to change that. This means finding out how to turn off your water by locating your stop valve. In the event of a pipe bursting or leaking this can put a stop to the flow and reduce the likelihood of it causing serious damage to your property. It’s also worth being aware of how to knock off your electricity at the mains. Take a little time out to ensure your house has the appropriate level of protection too. This might mean reading through the terms and conditions of your boiler cover, home insurance and contents insurance or taking them out if you don’t have them already.

Make preparations for bad weather

No one likes to think adverse weather conditions will hit them, but Britain’s climate is often unpredictable so it’s wise to be ready for anything! Make sure you’re able to clear your paths and driveways in snowy weather by having a shovel (or even better a snow shovel) available, as well as an adequate supply of salt and grit.

It makes sense to look at having roof repairs done before the harsh winter as no roofer will go up in windy or bad conditions. If you do have an emergency repair and can not get anyone out then it might be worth considering Commercial Roofing Contractors to see if they have any availability between large jobs.

It’s also worth insulating your pipes as this will keep heat in and reduce the chances of them freezing in a cold snap. You could also add an insulation jacket to your boiler, these are inexpensive and can help to save you money on your heating bills.

If you have a little extra cash to spare why not also look into double-glazing your property? This may be fairly costly initially but will keep your home warmer and more secure throughout the year, so it’s sure to pay for itself fairly quickly. You might also like to look into insulating your roof and walls or draught-proofing your home.

You might be surprised at just how much hot air is escaping through a little gap under your door. Of course, easy improvements can be made by keeping windows and doors closed, using a draught excluder, taking advantage of brighter spells to let light heat a room naturally and drawing curtains once the sun goes down.

Keep yourself warm

Energy bills can rocket in winter but it’s important to make sure you stay warm enough. There are ways to achieve this without needing to leave the central heating on all day.

Make sure you wear layers of clothing around the house and in really chilly conditions cover up with a blanket or your duvet. It’s also important to stay healthy so give yourself enough exercise and make sure you eat a hot meal each day. If you’re out of the house during the day consider turning down the thermostat by a couple of degrees.

This should keep things ticking over nicely and you can always turn it up again once you get home. The same applies to your bedroom as if you’d rather not fork out for heating the whole property all day long then simply make sure it’s warm enough for when you’re ready to get your head down for the night.