Preparing Your Home for a Cold Snap *

*This is a collaborative post.

The winter is coming! Faster than the conclusion to Game of Thrones, which would be too difficult in all fairness. But with the cold weather peeking around the corner, how prepared are you for the cold snap? Are your gutters clear? Are your pipes wrapped? What energy tariff are you on? All of these items on the winter prep to-do list are covered in this blog post, which should give you a good idea of what is needed and when. 

Clear Your Gutters and Drains

Now is the perfect time to clean your gutters and drains, especially if you haven’t paid much attention to them all year. After all the leaves have fallen and the trees are bare, your gutters and drains will be clogged up. This clogging can cause water to accumulate and seep into your external walls. This is easy to prevent. Use ladders and a bucket to scoop up the rogue leaves, then compost them in the garden – it’s a win-win. If you need the uplifted instead of contact bin hire.

Check Your Boiler

If you’re concerned about clogged up leaves during the winter, you should also check your boiler. If it’s an older model or one that hasn’t been checked for a while, there’s a fair chance it needs a service; the last thing you want is for your heating to go off in the dead of winter – like seriously, it adds a new level of stress to your life. Before the winter really sets in, give your local engineer a shout and have them check it over. Take out some insurance if it seems ropey. 

Prepare Your Home With Insulation 

Insulation is one of the best things you can do for your home in winter. It reduces your energy costs, increases your home’s warmth, and hls out the planet. If you can’t afford double glazing, triple glazing, or cavity wall insulation, there are some budget-friendly alternatives. Use heavy curtains at your windows, and block off the flue of your chimney with a plug when it’s not in use. Use draft excluders and turn off radiators in rooms you’re not using. 

Protect Your Pipes

Now is also a great time to head to the hardware shop, pick up some foam, or ‘lagging’ to protect your pipes from freezing. When water freezes, it expands, which can cause your pipes to crack. When the thaw comes along, they leak and cause flooding that can be expensive to repair. But you can easily avoid that by covering your exposed pipes with lagging and relaxing in the knowledge that your home is safe from the big freeze. 

Get on the Best Energy Plan 

Energy companies don’t support loyalty anymore; instead, they reward those who jump ship, that is, new customers. Don’t lose out on this practice, especially just before winter, when your bills will go up. Contact your supplier and check you’re on the cheapest tariff, also use comparative websites, and don’t be afraid to follow the cheapest option. As far as energy goes, loyalty is dead.