5 Winter Safety Tips For Your Home

Here’s some winter safety tips to keep your home warm this winter

It’s safe to say that winter has arrived. With colder weather now a reality, we can take the shelter that is our home for granted. The last thing you want is for something to go wrong with your home during the winter months. So that’s why we’ve put together some winter safety tips that you can carry out in order to keep your home warm and, more importantly, safe during the next few months.

Make sure the heating works

The first port of call is to ensure that your heating system is working. If you are unsure how to do this, get a professional to have a look at your setup. Any radiators in the house should also be bled to free any trapped air in them. This removes any ‘cold’ spots in the radiator, thus helping them to emit more heat around the rooms they are located.

Invest in insulation

If you can afford it, spend some money on insulating your home. Insulation makes your home more energy efficient, resulting in cheaper energy bills in the long-term. Older windows are a culprit for heat loss and should be replaced with newer ones that are designed to minimise heat loss. Attics and pipes should also be adequately insulated. This is to prevent heat loss through your home’s roof and to prevent burst pipes respectively.

Check your roof

Be sure to check your roof and carrying out any minor repairs now so to help prevent a leaky roof in the future. Inspect your roof for missing, damaged or curled shingles, corroded flashing, or leaky vents.

and don’t forget the gutters and drainpipes

While checking the roof, it would be no harm to make sure that both gutters and drainpipes are cleared of debris such as leaves, rubbish etc. and that all downspouts direct water into drainpipes in the ground. Blocked gutters can result in the overflow of water from heavy rains to seep into your roof and down the walls of your home. What’s worse is that this water could also freeze, causing further damage to your gutters.

Clean your chimney

If you haven’t gotten around to having your chimney cleaned this year, we’d suggest doing it now especially if you plan to start lighting a nice fire in the evenings after a tough day’s work. This is because bits of debris clogged in the chimney could catch fire which could mean an unwanted visit from your local Fire Brigade. You should ideally have your chimney inspected and, if necessary, cleaned once a year before starting to light a fire.

Make sure you have the right cover

Nothing beats putting in the effort in preparing your home for the winter, but you should always have a back-up plan available in the form of an adequate Home Insurance policy. It is important to remember that not all polices are equal. Some insurers may not cover for the above situations when you need it the most. Don’t take anything to chance. If you are unsure about what benefits your cover has, get in touch with your current insurer.