Making your home winter proof can be a lot more complicated than many people may realize. After all, very few have actually made their home completely Winter proof, regardless of where they’re living and what kind of weather, they normally experience year-round.
However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few things that you could fix once the winter is setting in. While some will be obvious, there are a few that even the most up-to-date customers might be surprised by. That being said, though, there are dozens of different things that can affect how Winter proof your house is. However, there are some that will have more of an impact than others.
Insulate Your Piping
This is extremely obvious, and rightfully so. Not having the proper type of pipe insulation, or having any kind of plumbing problems, can end up letting a lot of heat out of your house. This is why you should always check out your plumbing and other pipe needs before the Winter properly sets in, according to Pipe Lagging.
As Pipe Lagging, the UK’s number one supplier of Pipe Insulation Systems has suggested, this may be one of your biggest up-front costs in terms of getting your house Winter proof. However, it’s also one of the biggest savers in heating costs, making it one of the better long-term choices you can make.
Insulating your pipes also means that not only will you spend less on your heating bills, but the likes of your air conditioning or central heating will be a lot more effective in the long term. As there’s less heat escaping your home, you’ll end up spending less money heating up your home.
TIP: For the long term effective and efficient energy solution is a central heating system. If someone is eligible to access it they can experience a lower monthly heating bill. Government backed central heating grant is now available under ECO home scheme.
While we’re on the subject of pipes, it’s worth checking if any cracks or leaks have developed over the previous few months. These can have a massive impact how energy efficient your house is, as well as how Winter proof it actually is. Getting these cracks or leaks fixed is one of the biggest steps that you can make when it comes to making your house as Winter proof as possible.
Check Your House For Cracks
Since we’re on the subject of looking for any cracks or leaks, it’s worth looking at any other areas of your house that may have developed any flaws. After all, a house can’t be Winter proof if it’s got a number of holes or cracks in it.
The cold will be able creep in through any small cracks that may have developed over time, so it’s worth making sure that there are no areas where it can do so. If there are any cracks, it’s worth getting them sealed as soon a possible. This will make sure that no heat gets out, and ensures that there’ll be no drafts throughout your house.
These kinds of cracks normally only appear in areas where two different materials, or even structures, meet. One of the best examples of this would be around your windows, or even around your chimney. Using incense or some kind of smoke will be able to detect any cracks or air passages that may have developed. This is because many of them may be difficult to spot by eye, making incense one of the easiest ways to find them. Learn more about crack damage categories with descriptions of typical damage here.
As you may have guessed, since air is being pulled out through these cracks, so will heat. Because of that, you should block them up as soon as possible; once that’s done, there should be no loss of heat and your house will be a lot more Winter proof.
Keep Your Radiators & Boiler Ticking Over
There are a number of things that you can do to ensure that your boiler is running at peak performance. The first of these is turning them on for at least an hour a day. While you mightn’t need it on for too long, it does help to keep it running smoothly. Different makes and models have different needs, so it’s worth taking a look at your manufacturers notes beforehand.
Speaking of your boiler, it’s worth checking how much pressure there is coming out of it. Many studies have shown that they work best with one bar of pressure, so you may occasionally need to reset your boiler pressure to that. Once that’s been done, it should be a lot more efficient at making your home Winter proof.
It’s also worth bleeding your radiators on a regular basis. While it can seem like a daunting task, it’s really quite simple and doesn’t take up too much time. If there’s a difference in heat between the top and bottom of your rads, then they’re well over-due a bleeding. Once that’s been done, all of your rads will be able to perform better.
Because of that, it’ll take a lot less time and energy in order to heat up your home. Your rads will be more energy efficient, so they’ll need a lot less time and energy in order to heat up a room. Keeping them on for a certain amount of time every day, even at a low heat, can also ensure that your pipes don’t freeze over. Because of that, you may want to put them on timers for anytime that you’ll be away from the house for any length of time.
Upgrade Your Windows
This is another way to Winter proof your home that may be somewhat obvious. If you haven’t already, then it’s worth upgrading your windows to at least double glazing. Windows are the biggest source of heat loss in any house, which is why it’s highly recommended that they’re one of the first things that you look at when you’re about to Winter proof your home.
You could even consider triple glazing, as this provides a whole lot more protection against the cold than even double glazing offers. Upgrading your windows will significantly impact your houses heating levels, and radiators and boilers will be a whole lot more effective at heating your house. This is because there’s a lot less wastage when it comes to your windows. Because of that, your energy bills should also see a massive reduction, as you’ll need to have your heating on for a lot less than you would need them on otherwise.
You might also be able to look at your doors too, as some newer models have been shown to be more Winter proof than others. This is because some thicker doors, or specifically made ones, will leave out a lot less heat than older models. Because of that, while you’ll have somewhat of an up front cost when you get a new year, the savings will begin to add up over the long term.
There’s a whole host of things that can help to Winter proof your home, even to a minor extent. However, the three we’ve already mentioned will have the biggest impact on how Winter proof your house actually is. While each will have a positive impact on how energy efficient your heating will be, it’s worth instituting a number of changes across your house. This is because the more you put into making sure that your house is cold proof, the more cold proof your house will actually be.
Darrell
