Top 7 tips to keep your home warm and dry this winter

Whilst much of the UK is currently experiencing record mild temperatures for December, it’s also worth remembering that we have had some winter weather extremes over recent years, and who knows what the new year may have in store. Spending a little time on some fairly basic home maintenance tasks now for you and your older relative could save you a lot of aggravation, heartache and cost should the weather turn suddenly and you haven’t prepared for it. Apart from making sense on a practical level, routine maintenance can save you much more than you might think; your insurance company will normally cover you for most accidental damage, but probably won’t pay for damage caused by poor or no maintenance.So here our our tops tips for keeping your home warm and dry.

1. Make sure your boiler is serviced every year by a ‘Gas Safe’ registered engineer and that you have a working carbon monoxide detector nearby. You won’t want a breakdown in the depths of winter, when you could end up waiting 3-4 days for your plumber, who may tell you they are swamped with similar emergencies and breakdown works.
2. Make sure your entire attic and exposed exterior pipework is lagged properly. If you are unsure, get someone to check for you (or ask the plumber whilst having your boiler serviced). If your older relative has recently been admitted to long-stay hospital or care, it is probably best to consider draining down the system, thereby removing any possibility of leaks or burst pipes when the house is unoccupied long-term.. If you don’t want to drain the system, keep the heat on a programme of  around 15 °C, which should be sufficient to ensure you don’t get any pipe-freezing. In either case, if the house is going to be left unoccupied for an extended period, you should inform your insurers and take their advice. If it has a basic layer of insulation between the joists about 4” (100mm) deep, then you will benefit quite  a bit by topping it up with another 300mm (yes, that’s a foot!) on top of it. You can check if you may be eligible for some grant assistance to help with costs here 
3. Bleed your radiators. If they are colder at the top than they are at the bottom then there’s trapped air in them and a quick bleed should make the system run more effectively.
4. Have your roof checked annually. A visual check is usually sufficient (a pair of binoculars helps) and if anything looks like it needs attention, find a reputable contractor in to sort it. You can find reputable tradespeople here. At the same time, give your gutters an annual clean. It is surprising how quickly leaves and moss can build up and easily block and cause over-flows. And don’t forget to check any out-buildings and even the garden shed.
5. Clean chimneys every year.  If  you or your older relative use your chimney, give it a clean every year. You really do not want the smoke or water damage which can accompany chimney fires. If you haven’t got one, install a carbon monoxide detector (it costs about £12) in the same room as your fire-place/appliance (along with your smoke detector) and test them regularly.
6. Move light garden furniture into your shed, or store it so that it can’t be blown about. Store garden parasols flat.
7. Prune invasive vegetation growing nearby or on your home (ivy etc.). Take a good look at it in early spring and prune it back to ensure there are no thicker branches forming in areas where they could do a lot of damage (i.e. into any masonry cracks, under tiles and so on).

Prime Living UK (Contracts) Ltd is a building project-management consultancy for homeowners, providing specialist support for older persons requiring home improvements and adaptations. www.primelivinguk.com

Twitter: @PrimeLivingUK