Getting Your Home Ready for the Winter
by Zoe Ecott on Sep 28, 2016
As summer draws to an end, the days begin to shorten and the leaves begin to fall, it’s time to think about ensuring your home is ready to meet the winter. This needn’t be as arduous as you think - from waterproof render to draught strips, there are many steps you can take to keep your house safe and snug. Here are a few tips to get your home prepared.
Clean the Gutters
Gutters get blocked with leaves and debris washed down from the roof. When faced with heavy rain and melted snow, they can begin to overflow, so it’s a good idea to get them cleaned out. It’s also a good idea to get the joints checked at the same time, as these too can be a source of leaks.
If it’s leaves that are responsible for blocking your gutters, then it may be time to take a look at any trees around your property and see if they need to be cut back away from walls and roofs.
Time to Insulate
Your home can lose up to a quarter of its heat through the roof, so ensuring you have proper loft insulation is a must. It won’t only keep you warm: it will help cut your energy bills. You might benefit from cavity wall insulation too, but be sure to check that your property is suitable - those in coastal and other exposed areas, for example, may not be.
You also need to lag your pipes to prevent them from freezing; this also helps prevent heat from being lost from hot water pipes.
Stay Dry
The wind-driven rains of winter can lead to problems with water penetration if your brickwork or external wall coating is damaged. Getting your gutters fixed can help prevent water spilling down walls, but if you have a problem with damp walls, you might want to look at something like a waterproof render to protect your property.
Check the Heating
Your heating doesn’t do much work over the summer, and the time it’s most likely to fail is when it’s suddenly expected to cope with a cold snap. It’s a good idea to have your boiler serviced before the winter to make sure it’s working properly; this can save you fuel too by keeping your boiler at its most efficient.
At the same time, bleed your radiators to ensure there are no airlocks stopping the heat from circulating correctly. Make sure that the radiator circuit is topped up with a corrosion inhibitor to prevent it from deteriorating too.
Stop Draughts
Draughts from ill-fitting doors and windows can make your home feel colder. They can be easily fixed by spending a few pounds on self-adhesive sealing strips or by getting an old-fashioned draught excluder for the bottom of doors.
Popular Articles
When to Use a Brush, Roller or Sponge Brush
Brushes are a good choice for painting trim and woodwork. They are also useful for cutting in the edges around the top and bottom edges and corners...
65313 Views
Three Places to Spend Money on the Exterior of Your Home
When you have the exterior of your home remodeled, you are investing, time, energy and convenience into the project and you want to make sure that...
63404 Views
Homemade Headboards-Make an Upholstered or Wooden Headboard
Homemade headboards can add a lot of personality to any bedroom. They can be coordinated with existing furniture and room decor or they can be the...
58931 Views
Creating a Cottage Kitchen with Bead Board
Kitchen decor can range from modern and bold to elegant and elaborate by using strategic kitchen pieces. One of the most popular decorating trends...
40231 Views
Gas Fireplace Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Follow these steps for diagnosing and troubleshooting Gas Fireplaces repairs. For the average DIYer, this may seem intimidating, depending on the...
25229 Views
Latest Articles
6 Reasons Why Your House Is Not Selling
As soon as you decide that you need to sell your house, time starts to fly. As of June 2021, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported...
on May 17, 2022
What is the Average Cost to Repair a Foundation?
The most important part of any structure is the foundation, considering that it gives support to everything above it and ensures that the structure...
on Apr 26, 2022
6 Favored Methods for Foundation Waterproofing You Should Know
If you have ever walked down to your basement and noticed a small trickle of water or a small puddle on the floor, you may dismiss it as no big...
on Apr 24, 2022
7 Great Hacks For People Who Hate Doing Chores at Home
Count yourself lucky if you find cleaning and doing chores therapeutic. For the rest of the population, doing chores can be one of the most...
on Apr 12, 2022
Driveway Drain - Why is it Important for Safety
A driveway is often our first impression of a home. It tells people how we want them to feel when they're welcomed in. That's why it's important to...
on Apr 1, 2022
Featured Articles
What Type of Licensed Contractor Should You Hire?
on Feb 28, 2017
Hire Contractors / Estimates

Looking for a specialty project? There are many types of contractors available for your home improvement needs. Finding the right type of...
Sponsored Articles
6 Reasons Why Your House Is Not Selling
on May 17, 2022
Real Estate / Finance
As soon as you decide that you need to sell your house, time starts to fly. As of June 2021, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported...
Juan Plumbing - Learn about SCAMs
on Sep 17, 2021
Hire Contractors / Estimates

I can firmly say, I'm only trying to be an advocate for a neighbor that is a DISABLED SENIOR who was taken advantage of in this SCAM. I feel the...
Actions
Top Categories
- Garden / Landscaping / Patio — 258
- Kitchen / Bathrooms — 233
- Real Estate / Finance — 188
- Appliance / Repair — 185
- Interior Design / Decor — 181
- HVAC / Air Conditioning — 145
- Cleaning / Maintenance — 138
- Improvements / Remodeling — 131
- Floors / Tile / Hardwood — 114
- Plumbing / Basements — 114
- Doors / Garages — 112
- Safety / Security — 112
Articles Archive
More DIY Articles
Covering the Walls with Cork
Cork can be a fun alternative to traditional wall-coverings. It creates an instant message space and art gallery. It also offers visual texture...
Moving Countdown: Frequently Overlooked Tasks
Running a moving company also means getting a firsthand look at the moving process over and over again. After years of helping people get from...
How to Create a Professional Office Space with Ease
When creating a professional office space, many business owners attempt to decorate their space themselves. While the business owner may have...
Save a Repair Bill This Fall with This 13-Step Furnace Maintenance Guide!
It is important to have your furnace inspected regularly, but a professional inspection, furnace service, and repair can run you $100 or more...
Installing a Wood Burning Fireplace Insert like a Professional
A wood burning fireplace insert has many benefits over traditional gas and electrical alternatives. Most significantly by choosing to heat your...