view gas and electricity news

How to prepare your home for winter in 6 simple steps

The winter months play havoc with your energy bills - not only is the heating is cranked up, but more hot meals are cooked, and clothes can’t be left to drip-dry outside.

And the cold, rain, and wind the winter months bring can also play havoc with your home - overflowing gutters and burst pipes can lead to damp and flooding, while poorly insulated properties really feel the cold.

There's no price cap on business energy. Compare deals to find cheaper prices than your supplier's out of contract rates.

So, to help protect against soaring energy bills and eye-watering repair bills, here's how to prepare your home for winter.

How to get your home ready for winter

1. Get your boiler serviced

A cold-snap can put pressure on your boiler, particularly if it’s barely been used during the warmer months, and if your system suddenly packs in, you face the prospect of being without heating or paying a hefty fee to repair or replace it.

So make sure your boiler is fighting fit for the winter months by booking it in for a service with a Gas Safe registered engineer, and consider taking out boiler cover if you haven’t already done so.

Having boiler cover in place means a qualified engineer will always be on hand to sort out any problems with your boiler or central heating as quickly as possible - it may seem like an unnecessary expense now, but could prove invaluable if the worst actually happens.

And make sure your bleed your radiators, so they’re working at full capacity – if you’re not sure how this is done, take a look at How to bleed your radiator in five simple steps.

A boiler breakdown is probably not something any of us consider until it’s too late – this video explains what to do if your boiler breaks down.

2. Get rid of gutter clutter

Wet leaves, mud and moss can be a disaster for your building if you allow it to build up in gutters and drains, as it can cause blockages that can lead to water leaking into the roof and walls.

If outside drains are blocked, this can even lead to flooding if we get a particularly bad downpour.

So, as soon as the weather permits, get the gardening gloves on, get outside and clear your gutters and drains of any debris.

3. Get your loft insulated

Around a quarter of the heat in your house will escape through the roof, so ensuring your home is properly insulated can have a considerable impact on your energy bills. Figures from the Energy Saving Trust show that just insulating your loft with 270mm of roll can shave up to £225 off your annual energy bills if you live in a detached house, £135 if you have a semi-detached, £120 for a mid-terrace, and £195 for a detached bungalow.

Loft insulation costs are generally upwards of about £285, so it’s worth finding out if you’re eligible for any of the government’s energy efficiency grants. Find out more at GOV.UK.

And make sure the loft hatch closes properly and is insulated against draughts, speaking of which…

4. Get your home draught-proofed

Hot air can escape, and cold air can enter, through the tiniest cracks in doors and window panes, so make sure all openings are draught-proofed – if you don’t have uPVC windows and doors, it might be worth fitting self-adhesive insulation strips around the frames, and put draught excluders by the bottom of any draughty doors.

It’s also worth fitting a letterbox brush to stops draughts entering, and fitting escutcheon plates on any keyholes, as well as making sure any functioning chimneys are swept. If you have any open chimneys that aren’t used, you should also insulate them with something like the Chimney Sheep.

And consider cavity-wall insulation if it’s not already installed – find out more at the Energy Saving Trust.

5. Get your pipes protected

Burst pipes are a common problem during winter, especially after a cold snap – if they’re not properly protected, they can freeze up and then burst when they thaw rapidly. And a burst pipe can quickly lead to flooding and some serious damage to your house and its contents.

So make sure they’re fully insulated and protected  with a foam layer, known as lagging, that will help stop them freezing and bursting. And if you’re going away during the winter, set the heating to come on for at least an hour a day to further minimise the risk of them freezing.

6. Get busy with our top tips to keep warm for free this winter

Switching energy is just one way to cut your energy bills this winter, but there are loads of other ways you can cut your energy bills as the cold weather rolls in. And, just like switching, they're all free and easy.

5 free and easy ways to keep warm for less this winter

Beat the energy price hikes with these 5 free and easy ways to save energy and save money this winter.

Run an energy price comparison to make sure you're on the very best energy deal. Make the switch with UK Power and start saving today.

Click here to run an energy price comparison, and see if you could be paying less for your gas and electricity.

Les Roberts - Energy Expert at UKPower

Les Roberts - Energy Expert at UKPower

If you’ve got an issue with your energy supplier, our consumer champion Les is on hand to help. A decade in consumer affairs means Les understands how confusing energy tariffs can be, so he'll cut through the jargon to help make sure you get the best deal.

Published on: 11th January 2021