Winter can be a beautiful season – with bright, frosty mornings and snow days – but it can also be damaging to your home. The extreme elements, coupled with wind and wet weather, can test your home’s exterior.
To make sure your home is winter-proof, we’ve put together some top tips. Whether you’re thinking of selling soon or just wanting to keep your house safe and secure, these tips will come in handy.
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Protect your home from draughts
Making sure your house is airtight and protected from unwelcome draughts will make your heating more effective and save you money in the long run.
While ventilation is important, draughts will only waste your heat and money during the winter. Draught-proofing your home could save you around £20 a year and prevent the icy chill of a draught blowing through your home.
- Stopping draughts under your doors is an easy way to begin. For external doors, be sure to cover the keyhole, letterbox, and cat flaps. If cold air is still coming through an internal door, use a draught excluder to block it.
- Make sure to seal any gaps in your window frames or doors too. You could be losing heat from cracks and openings in your windows and doors. To seal up windows, use insulating strips or reapply caulk around windows where the sealant has pulled away from the walls.
- Finally, check for gaps in your floorboards and skirting boards. If you have exposed wooden floors, consider adding rugs to keep in the heat and prevent it from leaking out.
Keep the heat inside
Nothing is more inviting than a toasty, comfy home during the winter. You’re likely to have your central heating turned on for a lot during the cold season, so make the most of the heat you’re paying for and get the greatest value for your money.
- What temperature should you keep your house at during winter? The government recommends 18 degrees Celsius since it can get a bit too chilly, but if you feel the cold more easily, then there’s no harm in turning up the thermostat a few notches.
- Invest in a smart thermostat to help you maintain your home at the ideal temperature without having to do lots of manual programming. It’ll turn down the temperature when you’re not home, saving you money, and when you return, it’ll detect this and turn up the heat.
- Insulate your pipes and hot water tank to ensure your water stays warm and maintains its temperature. A tank jacket for your hot water tank could save up to £35 a year, and for external pipes, you can get foam tubing or ‘lagging’ that wraps around them to protect them from extreme temperatures and keep the water hot.
- Make your radiators more efficient by making sure they’re in good condition and getting the most out of their location. Have them bled regularly and make sure no furniture is blocking them. If your radiators are on exterior walls, line them with foil to reflect heat back into the room instead of it dissipating into the wall.
Winter proof your roof
It’s essential to ensure your roof is in good condition before winter starts, as some of the worst damage that can occur in bad winter weather happens from above.
Also, don’t overlook your chimney: heavy rain or snow could leak in through exposed parts of the chimney, resulting in water damage to walls, paint, and wallpaper.
- Make sure your roof is in good condition before the cold weather arrives. Clear out your gutters and check that there aren’t any trees or branches near your roof that could break off in heavy snow or wind and cause damage.
- You can also winter-proof your home by upgrading your interiors. The best way to insulate is to use the right materials. Consider investing in insulation for your attic and basement, as it can reduce heating costs and prevent draughts and noise.
- In addition, if your home is a bit older, it’s worth upgrading to double glazing or Low-E glass, which has an invisible coating that reflects heat back into the house. Doing so will help to keep your home warm and cosy during the winter months.
What is the cheapest way to keep your house warm?
Even if you’re on a tight budget, there are plenty of cost-effective ways to keep your home warm. For instance:
- Lower your thermostat. Dropping your thermostat setting by just one degree can save you up to £60 a year. Chances are, you won’t even notice the difference between 18°C and 19°C.
- Let the daylight in. On sunny winter days, open the curtains, blinds, and shutters to let in the natural light and heat. As soon as the sun sets, close them all up again to trap the heat. Consider investing in thermal curtains for maximum insulation.
- Rearrange your furniture. If furniture is blocking radiators, it’s trapping the heat and preventing it from warming the room. Move pieces like sofas and units away from radiators to allow the heat to circulate. This could also help you lower your thermostat by one or two degrees.
- Install a radiator reflector. If your radiators are fixed to external walls, a reflector panel on the back can help keep the heat in. Foil reflectors cost around £7, while fixed panels will set you back around £30.
- Keep the oven door open. After you’ve finished cooking, leave the oven door open to let the heat out – it’s free heat for your kitchen!
Ensure your home is winter-proof all year round and protect it from the harsh winter weather. Taking good care of your home will pay off; it will keep you warm and comfortable even on the coldest days.
To learn more about making the most out of your house, financial advice, and house guides, visit us today.
Own a Draughty Home and Need to Sell It?
If you own a draughty home, it will need a substantial investment to keep it up to date with the latest Energy Performance standards.
This could be tricky if the property is a listed building, as the expensive energy bills would put off most buyers. We often buy properties with poor EPC ratings from sellers who have inherited them, as they may not have the time or money to invest in a full-on refurbishment project.
Here at Property Saviour, we will buy any home regardless of its condition issues.
Sell with certainty & speed
Property Saviour Price Promise
- The price we’ll offer is the price that you will receive with no hidden deductions.
- Be careful with ‘cash buyers’ who require a valuation needed for a mortgage or bridging loan.
- These valuations or surveys result in delays and price reductions later on.
- We are cash buyers. There are no surveys.
- We always provide proof of funds with every formal offer issued.
We'll Pay £1,500 Towards Your Legal Fees
- No long exclusivity agreement to sign because we are the buyers.
- You are welcome to use your own solicitor.
- If you don’t have one, we can ask our solicitors for recommendations.
- We share our solicitor’s details and issue a Memorandum of Sale.
Sell With Certainty & Speed
- Our approach is transparent and ethical, which is why sellers trust us.
- 100% Discretion guaranteed.
- If you have another buyer, you can put us in a contracts race to see who completes first.
- Complete in 10 days or at a timescale that works for you. You are in control.
