How to Get Your House Ready for Winter

According to experts, this year’s winter is going to be the coldest winter in more than a decade. Due to changes in our climate, many have predicted that the winter of 2018 will be even colder than the 2012 freeze.

Colder winter is more challenging, which is why preparing for the season is a must. Aside from preparing yourself and your car for the usual commute, it is necessary to get your house ready for the season. Here are some of the tips you can follow to get your house ready for a cold winter.

Start with an Inspection

Before you can get the house ready for winter, you need to do a thorough inspection of the property. After a year (if not more) of being exposed to the elements and everyday use, even the best-built property suffers from problems here and there.

The goal of the inspection is finding those issues before they become bigger and more difficult to solve. Don’t worry about fixing problems around the house just yet. Simply walk around the house and write down the potential issues you discover.

You can also schedule free inspections by professionals. Free inspections are usually offered as part of the service offered by contractors and professionals such as Bristol heating engineers. Inspections by professionals will help you understand the issues you face better.

Quick-Fix Projects to Tackle

Not all problems require professional-level solutions. Most of the time, you can solve issues like clogged gutters and broken clamps yourself. These are the issues you need to solve first, mainly because you can work on them yourself on weekends.

Other quick-fixes are also worth exploring, especially when they are effective in averting bigger problems. When you have cracked windows and you are not ready to invest in new ones, for instance, using a DIY window seal repair kit to fix the broken windows is an option worth considering.

The more you do these smaller projects, the better you will understand the property and its problems. It is not uncommon for homeowners to spot more issues before they become bigger problems as they work on quick-fixes and DIY projects.

Check Your Heating System

A working heating system will be crucial this winter, so make sure you spend more time checking your current system. Regardless of the system you use, you need to have the central heating working properly throughout the winter. Don’t wait until winter arrives before contacting experienced central heating engineers in Bristol.

The sooner you can get the heating system working, the sooner you can turn to other preparations that you need to make before the winter. The best boiler contractor can inspect, evaluate, and repair your heating system for you. If you’re looking for someone in the Bristol area, one of the best available who offer a 1 hour emergency response is Plumbing Care Services who offer boiler installation repairs and servicing. They have a fleet of vehicles on the road seven days a week and will be the best point of contact if you do have a plumbing related emergency.

One more thing to remember about the central heating system is how important it is to maintain good energy efficiency. Aside from making sure that the system works, you also need to check if the heating system can effectively and efficiently control the interior temperature in your home, especially when it is cold outside.

Maintain the Property’s Insulation

Speaking of energy efficiency, you can also choose to get into bigger projects if you still have time before winter hits. One of the most important things to look into is the insulation around the house.

The cracked windows mentioned earlier may not seem like a big issue at first, but cracked windows are known to reduce a property’s energy efficiency by a substantial margin. The same can be said for poor or non-existent roof insulation.

Once again, turn to professionals to help you inspect your property’s insulation thoroughly. The inspection may reveal other problems around the house, including problems with plumbing and potential leaks.

Based on the result of that inspection, take the necessary steps to maintain – or upgrade – your home’s insulation. Don’t forget to also take further action to solve major problems discovered during the additional inspection.

Check Your Ventilation

One last thing to do before winter hits is checking your home’s ventilation system. Even when you have a capable heating system in place, it is still necessary to maintain good air circulation to keep the interior comfortable. A good insulation system must not introduce drafts and cold air into areas that are heated.

This isn’t a difficult task to complete at all. In fact, the laws of physics already do most of the hard work for you. Identify draft points (i.e. a gap on your door frame or windows) and fix them to get your house that much more prepared for the winter.

This may possibly be the coldest winter in a decade, but that doesn’t mean you cannot stay comfortable and safe throughout the season. With these tips in mind, preparing your house for a Bristol winter is not difficult at all.