As the saying goes, prevention is always better than a cure, and this goes for your home as well. Spending a little bit of time and money before the bad weather sets in and you are thinking about whether you need to hire a snow removal company or not will hopefully stop you from having to spend even more time and even more money for some serious repair work when we are in the depths of winter. Make sure you get your home winter ready with these tips:
Insulate Your Pipes To Reduce Heat Loss
Insulating pipes, particularly if they are plastic, will help to reduce the amount of heat that is lost from them and prevents them from freezing up and bursting. Purchase some foam insulation tubes and pop them over the pipes. It will protect your pipes AND save you a fortune in energy bills, so it’s a win all round.
Get your chimney swept
Our chimney’s get a lot of use over the winter, and a blocked up or damaged one can result in severe damage to the brickwork. If it collapses, it can not only damage the chimney itself but the rest of your house. A chimney sweep will clear out any remaining soot and debris and show up any issues before they get even worse.
Check your drains and downspouts
Autumn puts a strain on our pipes and drains, filling them with fallen leaves from the trees, swiftly followed by winter and the heavy rain and snow, which can be catastrophic if they are blocked.
Get your heater serviced
Most people do not give their heater a second thought until it breaks down, at which point it becomes expensive – and you have to wait for parts which could leave you shivering in the cold. Make having it serviced annually part of your winter-ready routine.
Top up your oil or LPG tank
If you are not connected to gas and use oil or LPG to heat your home, make sure that it is fully topped up now to keep from running out when the temperatures are at their lowest. If you can, avoid buying oil or LPG during the winter, when demand will push the prices up. If you can, set a reminder to buy it in the summer when prices are likely to be at their lowest.
Replace broken or slipped roof tiles
To prevent leaks during heavy rainfall or snow, make sure that your roof is in tip-top condition. If there are just a few tiles damaged or missing, it is a relatively straightforward and inexpensive job that could save you a lot of money in the longer term.
Check fences and gates
Heavy winter storms can be harsh on fences and gates, so if they are sturdy and in good condition to begin with, they are much more likely to withstand the wind and protect your property from intruders.
By making sure your house is in good condition before the freezing weather sets in, you are less likely to have to carry out emergency – aka costly – repairs.