As you begin to feel the days grow colder, and you need to slip on a warm jacket just to take a walk outside, it’s important to remember that your home might need a little bit of protection against the elements. Particularly if your house isn’t a modern build and was built a number of years ago, it might be a good idea to look into some extra measures and precautions which you can take in order to ensure that it stands up to the Winter months. So here are a few simple tips you can follow to get started.

Clear Gutters

During the Autumn, some of your gutters may have become blocked by fallen leaves. This will make it much more difficult for liquid to run through it properly, and lead to a dramatically increased chance of blockages. If a lot of water begins to gather, damp can begin to form in your walls, and this can result in serious and expensive damage being caused. You should take a trip up to your roof before the worst of the Winter has started to set in, and make sure that your gutters are free of any sticks or leaves which may have become lodged in it. Double-check that the water which will roll off your roof has a clear path through the gutter, so that it can be carried away from your home as it should, and not cause you any undue damage.

Wrap Pipes

Cold weather will mean that some of the pipes around your house, especially where they run outside, may freeze or burst, which can often be a headache to fix. A serious problem may result in you having to call a local plumber in order to fix it. You can help to prevent cold weather damage to your pipes by identifying which areas in your pipes are most vulnerable to the cold weather and wrapping them in a material called lagging, which helps to seal most of the heat in. This way, you’ll be going a long way to ensuring the proper flow of heat throughout the winter months.

Check for Draughts

There are various small steps you can take to keep your heat inside, where you want it to be, and the cold out. Even very small cracks and gaps can let in a significant amount of chill which will undermine the money you’re spending in order to heat your home. Use sealant for areas where the cold can commonly sneak through; around your window and door frames, and around the letterbox. Draft excluders will also help in this respect. You may also want to consider investing in insulation, which will assist in the heat remaining within your home and not escaping via weaknesses in your walls. Even if your home already has it, it’s important to make sure that it’s still up to standard, so that you can rest assured that it’s doing its job properly.

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