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Despite winter being well and truly upon us, it isn’t too late to make those all-important home improvements that make living through the colder months a little more bearable.
Here we list the basic home maintenance and repairs that you can do around your home that make it winter-proof! Read on to find out more…
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Prepping your outside
Making sure the outside of your home is safe and secure during the winter cannot be understated. As you’ll be entering and leaving your home a lot, you’ll want to ensure you’re not exposing yourself and others to any potential dangers.
Some of the things that you can do to ensure the outside of your home is ready for the winter includes securing all of your bins and recycling bins in a safe place where they cannot be blown around by the wind, causing damage to yours and your neighbour’s property.
Another vital thing to check is that your home’s gutters, downpipes and gullies are free from debris and blockages. Grab yourself a good quality ladder so you can get to those hard-to-reach places and start clearing away any mess that you can find. This will prevent blockages from occurring when the heavens decide to open up with snow or rain!
Insulating your home
If the temperature where you live hasn’t started to drop, ensuring your home is properly insulated will save a lot of stress and regret when it begins to. If it has started to decrease already, then getting your home insulated as soon as possible should be a priority.
Your loft space is often the coldest part of your home and by going up there, you can quickly assess how well insulated your property is. If you realise that the insulation isn’t as good as it could be, often a result of long-term wear and tear, getting it replaced quickly is a must. Be doing so, you ensure that your home can withstand the cold weather better, making it far cosier for you and your family. Perfect for those winter evenings in front of the tv with a hot chocolate.
Replacing roof tiles and slate
An often neglected part of your property is the roof and the roof tiles. During the winter months especially, it is important to make sure your roof and its tiles are in one piece if not, you risk heavy rain seeping through, causing a leak and damaging your home’s structure.
To gain access to your roof safely and quickly, be sure to purchase a quality roof ladder that will make the job a far more enjoyable one.
Clean and check outdoor lights
During the winter months, nighttime comes around a lot earlier than during the summer and autumn, therefore the chances of walking around outside your home in the dark are pretty high. As a result, it’s important to ensure your outdoor lights are clean and in full working order.
Walk around the outside of your home and wipe down all of your lights, ensuring they are turned off before doing so of course. Next, check that they are working and that bulbs do not need to be replaced. You want to get as much light as possible when you need it so replacing old bulbs with newer ones is always recommended.
Fix broken fences and gates
Having damaged fences and gates is annoying during most parts of the year but during winter they can become an even bigger problem. As a result of the wetter, colder weather, any existing damage can be worsened, leading to further costs and repairs later down the line.
Ensuring your outside fences and gates are fully repaired will not only leave you with less to do once winter is over, but it will also help to keep your house secure from potential intruders as well as your pets and children (if you have them) safely in your garden.
Pipe-check
Probably one of the most important things to do in your home during the winter is to make sure your pipes are kept in the best shape possible, preventing any bursts or blockages from occurring.
Frozen pipes are a very common issue during the winter months as a result of the drop on temperature. This can lead to blockages and then bursts, something you’ll want to avoid completely (for your sake and the plumbers). By wrapping any exposed pipes with thermal insulation such as pipe lagging or pipe jackets, you can prevent them from freezing over.
And there you have it, some important things to remember that gets your home ready for the winter!
