It’s not winter yet and I’m already shivering. I was definitely not ready for the drastic temperature change that happened in the last couple of weeks. It’s time to start packing away my summer clothes and thin autumn jumpers because I think we are going straight into winter weather. I’ve got my woolly socks, scarves and gloves ready to be worn.
I can also feel the change of temperature in my house to the point where I actually lit the fireplace the other day. Can you believe this? I wasn’t ready to light the fireplace so early but staying toasty and comfortable during cold evenings is of the utmost importance, and I’m sure you can agree.
After this change of temperature, I think it’s time to make sure my home is ready for the colder months. I’ve got a checklist of things I look at every year to make sure we have a comfortable winter season (and yes, I’m sharing it today!). Plus, for some extra tips, I’ve partnered with the Handy Squad, handyman London, who have been helping Londoners keep their houses warm and cosy for years, so they have the experience and expertise to give a helping hand.
The team at the Handy Squad recommend draughtproofing your home. If you are not sure how to do this, get a professional to take a look at your home. The Handy Squad says “We can figure out where this draught is coming from and seal the culprit, so the cold air stays out and the warm air stays in.” Put your feet up, grab a cuppa and enjoy your home without cold breezes.
The last thing you want is to be freezing during a cold winter day (or an autumn day in our case!), turn on the radiators and they are simply not heating up. Radiators should be checked yearly to make sure they are ready to keep us warm. Victoria’s Vintage recently recommended bleeding radiators before it gets too cold. She commented in a recent blog post “If it’s a chilly day and your radiators are feeling cold even though they are turned on, it most likely means that your radiators need bleeding.”
Let Them Be Small shared that “around a quarter of heat in your house is lost through the roof.” This statement highlights the importance of having proper loft insulation. If your loft isn’t properly insulated, you could be losing both warmth and money. Make sure to insulate your roof to ensure the heat stays in and you save on your energy bill.
Not cleaning your home’s gutters is a recipe for disaster. As Clear Lifestyles comments, “If the gutters are full of leaves and debris, water won’t be able to go through the drain and it will start overflowing, which can lead to water leaking into your home.” So, keep an eye on your house’s gutters and make sure they are cleaned often.
If you’ve never had an energy audit done in your home, it’s time to call a professional to do it. As this article on Consumer Energy Alliance explains, “An audit is useful to determine areas of your home where there is energy loss and by identifying where power usage may be curbed to earn savings.”