7 Tips to make sure your home is ready for winter

It’s getting colder so here’s some tips to get your home ready for winter and help keep it cosy.

1. Close your curtains. A lot of heat escapes through windows so make sure you close your curtains each night to keep in heat.

2. Door draft excluders. Add draft excluders to the bottom of doors to make sure heat doesn’t drift out of your room

3. Bleed your radiators. When air has become trapped inside radiators, it needs letting out. This helps to make sure they are working efficiently and will prevent cold spots around your home.

4. Have your boiler serviced. The average cost is between £60 – £100 but worthwhile job compared to losing your heating or hot water in the depths of winter!

5. Check your pipes and insulate them. There’s nothing worse than broken or burst pipes during the winter. Check pipes before the weather dips to make sure there are no leaks or cracks. Most DIY stores sell foam insulation for pipes which will help too.

6. Check the exterior of your property. Check your roof, gutters and exterior walls of your property to make sure that there are no missing or broken tiles, cracks in the walls or leaking gutters/ drainpipes. These could worsen in winter if not fixed quickly. They are also harder to deal with when it’s raining or if temperatures drop to freezing.

7. Check your loft insulation. Have a look in your attic loft to see if the insulation needs replacing or adding too. If the insulation is level with or below the attic floor joists, it would be wise to add more to prevent heat loss and raised heating bills.

Keeping your home warm and cosy in winter is key but don’t forget to open your windows for 5 mins every few days to get some fresh air in too.