I love winter! I got a little taste of it already by going on my trip to Bulgaria, where we got to spend time in the snow. But it also reminded me of the things you need to do to be prepared for winter. And things you forget, like needing to warm up the car. Here's some tips on how to prepare your home for this season.
Most of us yearn for winter. It is the time when we curl up by the heater with a cup of hot chocolate and a book. Winter means Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. If it means a lot of family gatherings. However, let’s not forget the freezing cold temperature, the snow, the flu, and the list goes on. While snowy days look so pretty, you won’t really enjoy them if your home isn’t prepared to handle the freezing winter.
Here are a few tips to help you enjoy the winter at home without freezing:
Check Your Heaters
Making sure that your heaters are working efficiently is one of the most essential things to prepare for the winter. You don’t want to wait until winter hits nice and strong only to find that your heaters are broken. Specialists at https://www.boilercentral.com/what-is-the-ideal-and-optimum-room-temperature-in-your-home/ recommend that the best room temperature to ensure that your home is warm without hurting your electricity bill is 20 to 22°C. That way, you can guarantee that your central heating fills your home up with warmth, but still needing to add on an extra layer to reach the best amount of warmth. Check your filters and get the annual maintenance done when the weather is still fairly reasonable to avoid facing any issues when you really need your central heating to work perfectly.
Seal Windows and Doors
It’s normal to find gaps in windows and underneath the doors which let the wind come in. This not only makes your central heating work twice as much, leading to a pretty big raise when it comes to your bills, but also makes your house always feel so chilly and cold that you just can’t keep warm. So, in order to prepare your home for the winter, it’s time to seal the windows and doors, fix cracks and make sure that there is no way any cold air can find its way in without your permission. You can do this by caulking around windows and installing weather stripping around the doors to seal up the gaps. It’s a cheap fix that your electricity bill will thank you for.
Get Your Pipes Ready for the Winter
Pipes need protection from the cold winter weather as the water tends to expand when it freezes, damaging the pipes. That’s why it is advisable to take the necessary precautions and drain the water from any outdoor taps to prevent the pipes from expanding and bursting. As for the other pipes that run through unheated areas, it is necessary to protect them from the cold by providing insulation that will keep the water running without freezing. That way you can ensure that your pipes don’t get damaged and that the water continues to run during the winter.
Check Your Roof
It’s time to hit the roof and make sure that it doesn’t need any repairs. You don’t want to figure out that there’s a hole in the roof as a result of your house getting flooded. So, before it’s too late, head up to the roof and make an inspection. Look for damaged, loose or missing shingles that could lead to a problem during winter storms as a result of melting snow. Or if you feel you need an expert opinion, hire a handyman to check if everything is under control to avoid facing the damage first hand in the middle of the cold, wintery weather making it a true nightmare.
Stock up on Winter Essentials
Before you find yourself stuck in your house because the driveway is covered in snow, make sure that you’ll have the necessary tools to be able to survive the winter. Whether it’s a shovel, snow blower or sand, and ice melt, you need to have an emergency kit when you need it. So, head over to your shed and check the tools you had from last winter to ensure they’re still working and make a list of items you’ll need. That way, when a snowstorm hits, you won’t regret postponing this task until it’s too late and end up staying indoors surrounded by freezing snow. You’ll also need to make sure you have enough blankets, wood for the fireplace and a good stock of food in the fridge for when you’re too lazy to go out.
Getting your home prepared for winter might sound like an annoying task, but when the cold weather hits strong, you’ll thank your lucky stars that you didn’t wait until it was too late and pay the consequences. So, hurry up and get your home all nice, cozy and winter-free.
Most of us yearn for winter. It is the time when we curl up by the heater with a cup of hot chocolate and a book. Winter means Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. If it means a lot of family gatherings. However, let’s not forget the freezing cold temperature, the snow, the flu, and the list goes on. While snowy days look so pretty, you won’t really enjoy them if your home isn’t prepared to handle the freezing winter.
Here are a few tips to help you enjoy the winter at home without freezing:
Check Your Heaters
Making sure that your heaters are working efficiently is one of the most essential things to prepare for the winter. You don’t want to wait until winter hits nice and strong only to find that your heaters are broken. Specialists at https://www.boilercentral.com/what-is-the-ideal-and-optimum-room-temperature-in-your-home/ recommend that the best room temperature to ensure that your home is warm without hurting your electricity bill is 20 to 22°C. That way, you can guarantee that your central heating fills your home up with warmth, but still needing to add on an extra layer to reach the best amount of warmth. Check your filters and get the annual maintenance done when the weather is still fairly reasonable to avoid facing any issues when you really need your central heating to work perfectly.
Seal Windows and Doors
It’s normal to find gaps in windows and underneath the doors which let the wind come in. This not only makes your central heating work twice as much, leading to a pretty big raise when it comes to your bills, but also makes your house always feel so chilly and cold that you just can’t keep warm. So, in order to prepare your home for the winter, it’s time to seal the windows and doors, fix cracks and make sure that there is no way any cold air can find its way in without your permission. You can do this by caulking around windows and installing weather stripping around the doors to seal up the gaps. It’s a cheap fix that your electricity bill will thank you for.
Get Your Pipes Ready for the Winter
Pipes need protection from the cold winter weather as the water tends to expand when it freezes, damaging the pipes. That’s why it is advisable to take the necessary precautions and drain the water from any outdoor taps to prevent the pipes from expanding and bursting. As for the other pipes that run through unheated areas, it is necessary to protect them from the cold by providing insulation that will keep the water running without freezing. That way you can ensure that your pipes don’t get damaged and that the water continues to run during the winter.
Check Your Roof
It’s time to hit the roof and make sure that it doesn’t need any repairs. You don’t want to figure out that there’s a hole in the roof as a result of your house getting flooded. So, before it’s too late, head up to the roof and make an inspection. Look for damaged, loose or missing shingles that could lead to a problem during winter storms as a result of melting snow. Or if you feel you need an expert opinion, hire a handyman to check if everything is under control to avoid facing the damage first hand in the middle of the cold, wintery weather making it a true nightmare.
Stock up on Winter Essentials
Before you find yourself stuck in your house because the driveway is covered in snow, make sure that you’ll have the necessary tools to be able to survive the winter. Whether it’s a shovel, snow blower or sand, and ice melt, you need to have an emergency kit when you need it. So, head over to your shed and check the tools you had from last winter to ensure they’re still working and make a list of items you’ll need. That way, when a snowstorm hits, you won’t regret postponing this task until it’s too late and end up staying indoors surrounded by freezing snow. You’ll also need to make sure you have enough blankets, wood for the fireplace and a good stock of food in the fridge for when you’re too lazy to go out.
Getting your home prepared for winter might sound like an annoying task, but when the cold weather hits strong, you’ll thank your lucky stars that you didn’t wait until it was too late and pay the consequences. So, hurry up and get your home all nice, cozy and winter-free.