Preparing your house for winter

As the days get longer and colder, the British winter starts to set in and, with it, the chaotic weather. The AA estimates that 80 percent of households suffer from property damage during the winter, with most of it being caused by the weather. This highlights the need for you to make sure you are properly preparing for the winter and minimising any damage where possible.

Start using your central heating

If you haven’t done so already, start using your central heating. This is key, as it allows your pipes to warm up and work after not being used all summer. This also means that your pipes are prevented from freezing over before the worst of the winter weather sets in when plumbers are at their busiest.

Using your central heating before you reach the depths of winter also allows you to get the boiler working properly. 40 percent of people have boiler issues in the winter, according to research done by the AA.

Install a canopy

While it may not seem like an obvious answer to your winter weather woes, an outdoor canopy can be immensely helpful across a variety of situations. Taking the bins out is a grim task – no matter the time of year – but it can be made infinitely worse by rain. If you live in an area where the temperature drops below freezing, then taking the bins out can become potentially dangerous as the walkway becomes slippery and icy.

A canopy will provide some essential shelter outside, and their unique cantilevered design means that you don’t have to worry about losing any useable space to a pole, as the whole canopy attaches to your house.

Make sure to check your roof

This can be a difficult task, but it is an essential one. Checking your roof for any loose or dislodged tiles can prevent any serious damage to the building. The AA noted that 23 per cent of people had slipped roof tiles during the winter.

Falling tiles can seriously injure anyone unlucky enough to be underneath, and the gaps left behind can allow rainwater to get in, causing damp to grow and serious leaks to occur – flooding the house.

Whilst up on the roof, make sure that you check your gutters and drain pipes too. If they are blocked and you suffer from heavy rainfall, water can get into the brickwork of the house and cause serious damp, as well as structural problems.

Get yourself a carport

One of the most expensive things that most people own, apart from their houses, are their cars. Yet many of us don’t try and protect our cars from the elements as much as we should.

If you’re unable to park your car in a garage, you may have given up trying to protect your car. But there are other solutions – such as a carport. A carport will protect your car from the worst of the winter weather and protects you from those torrential winter downpours.

Make sure you’re ready for winter

Making sure your house is prepared for the winter is key to saving yourself as much money as possible. By taking a few preventative measures, you’ll save yourself a lot more money in the long run.