Yahoo Lifestyle 8 Ways to Winter-Proof Your Home and Your Energy Bill
With the new year kicking off with a cold snap, and snow falling across the country, many people are looking to get prepared as temperatures plummet. And winter-proofing your home is an effective way to keep warm without racking up your energy bills.
Power bills are higher than ever, but there are a few easy things you can do to make your home more energy efficient, and warmer in the process.
We've put together a list of jobs to do now to help keep heat in your home and reduce your energy bills this winter.
1. Get rid of drafts
An oldie, but a goodie – draft stoppers do as they say and keep out the chilly winds, especially if you live in an older house. If you don't want to buy something new, blankets rolled into sausage shapes work just as well. You can also draw the curtains, or better yet, seal any gaps in your window frames or doors to prevent drafts coming in.
"Up to 24% of a home's heat energy is lost through old, drafty windows. The ideal is that homeowners would upgrade windows to be double or triple-glazed, although this is more of an investment. So, if upgrading windows is out of the picture, make sure you have fitted blinds and curtains to reduce the amount of heat energy lost," say the team at MyGlazing.com.
"In fact, data from Hillarys reveals shutters help reduce heat loss through windows by 36%, while roman blinds with an interlining help reduce it by 21% and curtains with a blackout lining can help reduce heat loss by 14%."
2. Clean your gutters
Leaves, twigs, moss and other debris can lead to blocked gutters, which may cause damp in your home if water runs down the exterior wall, instead of through the pipe. It can also cause flooding or leaks. Check there are no overhanging branches nearby that could end up clogging up the gutters in the near future, too.
3. Insulate your pipes
This is a really easy way to prevent heat from escaping from the hot water traveling through your pipes. It can also stop pipes from potentially freezing if temperatures drop. You can buy insulating tubing from most DIY shops.
4. Check your insulation
If you're in a rented home, this is much harder to install or update, but you can of course speak to your landlord if the property has poor insulation. Old buildings can have little to no insulation at all, so heat escapes easily. This means these homes use more energy to heat them than they should need. If you are able to insulate your home, the easiest place to do this is in the attic. This sort of insulation should last around four decades. If you're confident, this can be done yourself, otherwise you can book a professional.
5. Inspect your roof
One of the first signs of a potential leak in your roof is a broken or slipped roof tile. Often these can be seen by just walking around the house. Enlist the help of a professional, if you're not happy scaling it yourself, and never attempt in wet or icy conditions.
6. Check your chimney
If you have a working fire in your home, or even if your chimney is sealed, it needs to be maintained. Water can get trapped in it after heavy rain or snow, which can lead to water damage and even leaks. Check that the pointing is in good condition and will last the coming winter.
7. Find where your main water shut-off is
If you don't know where this is in your home, now is the time to find it. It looks like a garden tap, or it could be a lever and is usually found under your sink. The main water valve completely turns off the water supply. So, if there's flooding or the pipes have frozen, you will need to turn it off to prevent pressure building up, which could lead to a burst pipe.
8. Consider a smart thermostat
Installing a smart thermostat can help regulate the temperature in your home, and keep it at a pleasant, constant heat. This means once it becomes warm, it can lower the temperature so it isn't blasting out hot air for hours.
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