Stay Warm and Protect Your Home This Winter

Your home takes a battering in the freezing temperatures and damp, windy weather of the British winter, so it makes sense to prepare it for the unpleasant conditions.

One thing that will certainly help to winter-proof your home is a new composite door, as the combination of timber core, thermo plastic door skins, energy efficient glass and reinforced steel door frame is effective at eliminating draughts and preventing heat loss, which will make you more comfortable and reduce your energy bills.

Fitting a high-quality new front door is just one of a number of steps you can take to stay warm and safe at home over the winter. We’ve put together a special winter MoT for houses that will help you to prepare for the cold weather.

1. Make sure your central heating is in full working order. Have your boiler serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer before winter arrives, as this will reduce the chance of it breaking down when you need it the most.

2. Add insulation to water tanks and pipes. Frozen water often causes pipes to burst, which can result in significant damage to a property. Fitting a proper insulating jacket for the water tank and lagging for any exposed pipes will reduce the risk of this happening in your home.

3. Fit energy efficient windows. Installing A-rated uPVC windows will reduce heat loss and cut your energy bills by between £150 and £200 a year. If you can’t do that before winter sets in, you could fit some draught proofing strips to your windowframes as a short-term measure.

4. Make sure your loft is correctly insulated. Lots of heat escapes through lofts that are not properly insulated, which is a waste of money, as loft insulation is inexpensive and simple to fit.

5. Repair the roof. Check your roof for damaged tiles, slates or felting and, if necessary, get them repaired or replaced before the cold weather arrives. Rain, snow and wind make it difficult for roofers to work, so it may not be possible to get repairs done over the winter.

6. Give the garden a tidy. Most gardens are full of things that could damage property in the event of a bad storm, so it is sensible to prepare for winter by cutting back branches, checking fences are secure and moving bins and outdoor furniture to somewhere they are sheltered from the wind.

7. Clean out the gutters. Blocked gutters cause overspills, which in turn can result in damage to any flat-roofed garages, single-storey extensions and conservatories below. This can be avoided by cleaning out leaves and moss from the gutters.

8. Leave your heating on during the day. Having the central heating on for hours when your house is empty may seem wasteful, but leaving it on a low setting during the day over the winter will help to avoid pipes freezing and make sure it isn’t uncomfortably cold when you get home.