Winter is here, and it’s time to get your London home winter ready. With plummeting temperatures, icy winds, and snow warnings, keeping your home warm and comfortable is a priority. Whether you live in a flat or a house, there are a few steps you can take to make sure your home is winter-proofed. From simple tasks like getting your boiler serviced and sealing draughts to more involved projects like installing insulation and replacing your windows, there are plenty of ways to make sure your home is ready for the winter months. Read on to discover our top tips on how to get your London home winter ready.
Get Your Boiler Serviced
When it comes to getting your home ready for winter, one of the most crucial tasks is getting your boiler serviced. This will typically involve making an appointment with your energy provider to send an engineer to your home to perform the service. Alternatively, you could also hire a specialist boiler engineer directly. Getting your boiler serviced before the winter months will help prevent any issues with excessive pressure and water flow. It will also ensure your boiler is up to the required safety standards and is running as efficiently as possible.
Seal Draughts
A key part of getting your home winter-ready is making sure you seal any draughts around windows, doors, and other places where warm air can escape. Sealing draughts is one of the easiest ways to make sure your home stays warm, so it’s a good idea to start with this task. Draught excluders are simple and come in many different designs, so you can choose the type that best suits your windows. Draught excluders are a cheap and easy way to prevent heat from escaping through your windows and doors.
Install Insulation
Installing insulation is a great way to reduce the amount of heat escaping from your home while also reducing any noise coming from outside. Most insulation lasts over 80 years once installed; however, insulation that was installed in batts, which are slabs of insulation, typically only last between one and two decades. You can install insulation into your loft, on your loft latch and in your walls to ensure your home is as warm and energy efficient as possible.
If you want to make sure your home stays winter-ready but don’t have the time or skills to complete the DIY jobs, it might be worth hiring handymen to take care of the jobs for you. To help you find the right person for the job, check out MyBuilder, where you can search for local handymen in London to complete any task, including one to help with installing insulation in your home.
Replace Windows
This is one of the more costly ways to get your London home winter ready, but it’s worth it. If you have older, drafty windows in your home, they may be adding significantly to your fuel bills. Upgrading your windows to energy-efficient double or even triple glazing will save you money and help you to keep your home warm and comfortable.
Install A Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat is an easy way to make sure your home is kept at the right temperature. They come in many different shapes and sizes, and they’re controlled through a smartphone app or touchscreen. You can program them to keep your home at the right temperature at all times, or you can set them to turn off and on during certain times of the day. Another bonus of a smart thermostat is that they’re usually more energy efficient, which means you can save on your heating bill. Some smart thermostats can even be controlled remotely, so you don’t have to worry about keeping your thermostat at the correct temperature when you’re away from home.
Invest In Thick Curtains
Curtains are a great way to keep your home warm as well as stylish. They’re easy to put up, and there are plenty of options to choose from. Whatever design you choose, it’s important to make sure they’re thick enough to keep out the cold. Ideally, you want your curtains to be as thick as possible.
Lay Down Rugs
Rugs can add warmth and style to any room in your home, and they also help insulate against cold draughts. You can find a variety of different types of rugs at most homeware shops, and they come in all different colours and patterns. However, when you choose to get rugs, it’s important to clean them regularly so they don’t accumulate dust and dirt. You can do this yourself, or you can hire a professional to clean them for you once every 12 to 18 months.
Bottom Line
When temperatures begin to drop in the fall, it’s important to get your home winter ready. Getting your boiler serviced and installing insulation are two great ways to keep your home warm in the colder months. You can also install a smart thermostat and invest in thick curtains to help keep your home warm. However, when taking on any home project, be sure to hire professional handymen in London if you’re not confident completing the task yourself.