Winter proof your property

There are lots of things that can be done to help keep the cold out and the warm in.  Here we look at ways to keep your home cosy, with some advance preparation. By following these tips, Clockwork can help you minimise heating bills, maintenance and repair work. If there is an unexpected breakdown to your boiler, for a rapid response, contact us.

Tip 1. Don’t be left gutted.

Clearing out your gutters in preparation for winter is highly important. Whilst we appreciate it’s a lot of effort and not the nicest job (you could always contact us), clearing out fallen sticks and leaves can help unclog and prevent blockages. This ultimately prevents damp from getting into the walls as well as minimising damages from blocked pipes.

Tip 2: Lagging behind

If you have cold and exposed pipes in your home, it is worth purchasing some lagging to wrap around them. Along with turning the heating on regularly this can stop them freezing and minimises the risk of burst or blocked pipes.

Tip 3: Radiant Radiators

If your radiators are a mixture of hot and cold in places, they will need bleeding. This is a fairly easy task to complete this you will need to turn the heating off and have a valve key. Put the key in the valve and turn anticlockwise until you hear hissing, this sound is the air being released from the radiator.

Tip 4: An hour a day keeps the cold away

We recommend that you heat your home for at least one hour a day, even when you are away from the property. Heating the home regularly will keep the pipes fully operational and will avoid them to freeze and subsequently burst. Boilers can vary depending on make and model, but all should have a setting for a timer so you can be in control of your heating.

Tip 5: Under pressure

Another tip for your boiler would be to check its pressure, you will find the pressure gauge at the front of your boiler or underneath it. Most of these are now a digital display, although you may have a dial. You must ensure the boiler pressure is around one bar, anything higher or lower should be looked at. Clockwork can provide Gas Safe Engineers to the property to ensure the pressure is at the correct level as well as a full service on the boiler, which would be recommended in preparedness for the winter months.

Tip 6: Seal the deal

Unwanted draughts can be a common chill-factor in your home, there are many ways to tackle these issues, some short term and some long term solutions. Most draughts stem from doorways and windows frames, draught excluders can help with the doors which is a cost-effective and quick way of keeping the heat within the home. For window frames and letterboxes additional seals will be required.

Tip 7: Proof your Roof

Before winter arrives, we would recommend you (or you instruct a contractor) to inspect the roof for missing or broken tiles. Affected tiles could allow rain to seep into the house which could cause damp and missing tiles would be an insulation issue allowing warm air to escape more easily.