Tips for getting your home ready for winter

It’s officially the first day of autumn today and with that, thoughts start moving toward winter and getting prepared, before we know it the days will get shorter and the temperatures colder. Rumours of the coldest winter in 50 years are already circulating on Social Media, like they do every year, but with these tips you can be prepared and avoid the worst that the weather may throw at you whilst saving you money.
 

Going up in Smoke

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The number of chimney fires is on the rise in the UK this may be due to the rising cost of gas, electricity and oil so many people are opting to use wood burners and open fires as a cheaper alternative. Have your chimney swept yearly by a professional. It doesn’t cost the earth and when you consider the alternative it’s worth it.

It will also allow you to remove any potential obstructions like nests and leaves making your fire burn more efficiently.
 

You snooze you lose! 

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Don’t wait until the first cold snap hits before ordering your firewood/fuel. Order your logs in early as it will allow you to stack them and chop some kindling which will save you buying those overpriced bags of kindling at the petrol station.

If you wait till the last minute you and everyone else will be in a mad rush and you’ll find that a lot of suppliers have run out and won’t have more until next season as they don’t have an endless supply. It will end up being a long and cold winter for you with an extortionate heating bills.
 

Stop being fleeced!

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Switch your energy supplier before winter hits. We can all become a bit complacent with our energy suppliers even though we moan every time a bill comes in with prices continually creeping up, but the thought of shopping around for a new provider fills us with dread.

Be that as it may, Martin Lewis from Money Saving Expert reckons the majority of us are overpaying and we could save up to £300 a year by switching our energy providers so it is worth looking into.
 

A matter of life and death!

Get your boiler serviced yearly, in the UK over 4000 people are admitted to A & E each year with Carbon Monoxide poisoning which can be caused by a faulty boiler and out of these, a small number of adults and children will die. Keep your family safe by having a qualified engineer out to service the boiler, they’ll also be able to do any minor repairs and get it running more efficiently, thus saving you money.

You may not be aware but if something untoward happens and your boiler has not been professionally serviced this may invalidate your home insurance.

If you don’t already have one you may want to invest in a Carbon Monoxide detector which could save your life, if you already have one now is a good time to check the batteries.
 

Don’t get caught in the rain!

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It’s easy to forget about your gutters as they’re out of site, however, it’s important that you check them yearly to ensure that they’re not blocked. If they do end up with a blockage, water can spill over, seep into the roof and threaten the structural integrity of your house.

Malfunctioning gutters are also one of the main culprits that causes damp which can have adverse health effects.
 

Stop being blown away!

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Draught proofing your house is an excellent way to keep your home warmer and cut your heating bills. The Energy Saving Trust claims you can save up to 10% on your heating bill by draught proofing.

Check areas around doors, windows, loft hatches, keyholes and letterboxes, if you find areas that need attending to, you can buy draught strips for windows, special brushes for doors and letterboxes and sealant for floorboards and skirting boards from your local DIY Store.

Don’t overdo it and make your house completely airtight as you do need some ventilation but modern windows tend to have vents built in and older homes have vents in the walls.
 

Just for fun!

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There really isn’t a strong argument for raking all of your leaves into a pile and bagging them up or putting in the composts, if left on the lawn and allowed to decompose naturally, it will act as feed for a healthier lawn/beds the following year.

However, building a giant mound of leaves and playing in it is great fun for everyone and the definition of autumn.

Autumn doesn’t have to signal doom and gloom, but hopefully with these tips you can worry less about your property, get the fire on, snuggle up with the family and catch up on your favourite programs.

Is there anything else you feel is a must to do in autumn? Leave us a comment below.