As we head into December and temperatures start to plunge, it’s time to take action to make sure your London property is best prepared for wind, rain, and freezing cold temperatures. Here are five actions to take today to keep your house warm and cosy no matter how cold it gets outside.
1. Check the seals of your windows and doors
As windows and doors age, one of the first elements to degrade is the rubber seal. This rubber is what stops your door rattling in the wind, but more importantly also what stops draughts blowing into your home. You may not notice a degrading seal during the warmer months, but as temperatures drop, now is the time to check each window and door throughout your home and make sure that the seals are tight and the rubber (or other material) seal is in a good condition and has not started to crumble.
Replacement seals are relatively low cost, but fitting them can be very fiddly if you have not done the task before. If you would like a professional handyman to help check all your windows and doors have tight seals, and to replace the seals if needed, then London’s favorite handyman company is here to help.
2. Clear your gutters
After the autumn leaves have fallen from the trees, blocked gutters are a very common problem. If you leave these blocked, the water will find another way down. This may mean it drips down your walls causing damp or ingress.
Clearing the gutters themselves is a simple task, but most people do not have a sufficiently long ladder at home or are wary of heights. If you have not cleared your gutters yet this year, then it is time to call a handyman, and if you book one of BBOJ’s skilled multi-traders, then they will be able to manage this and a variety of other tasks in your home for a single fee and save you money.
3. Bleed your radiators
Over time, air pockets can build up within a central heating system. This air can become trapped in your radiators and prevent the hot water efficiently flowing through to heat your home. And the more efficient your heating is, the less you will need to spend on energy bills. It is therefore recommended to bleed the radiators throughout your property when you first turn on the heating to make sure they are running as efficiently as possible.
To bleed a radiator, you could ask a professional local handyman to help, or follow these steps:
- Turn your heating off and allow time for it to cool down.
- Take a towel and a jug and place both underneath the bleed valve on the radiator to catch any liquids.
- Insert the bleed key and slowly turn it anti-clockwise until you hear a hissing sound – this is the trapped air escaping the system.
- Once the hissing stops, turn the key clockwise to close the valve.
- Repeat on all the radiators in your home.
4. Insulate any external pipes
As the temperatures head below zero, external pipes may freeze and crack if they are not properly insulated. London is generally a little warmer than the rest of the country, so it is rare for pipes to freeze. However, it does happen and it is much better to be prepared than to deal with broken and leaking pipes after things go sideways.
Wrapping insulation around a pipe is relatively straightforward, but doing it neatly and securely is much tougher! If you would like some help making sure your pipework is insulated from the freezing temperatures, then the skilled handymen at BBOJ are ready to help.
5. Upgrade to a smart thermostat
Thermostats have come a long way in recent years. A decade ago, you had to set a single time for the heating and/or hot water to come on in the morning and evening and hope your plans don’t change and you would either come home to a freezing cold house or stay out and waste money heating an empty property. Modern connected thermostats let you turn your heating on via an app on your smartphone, so you will always be in control and never waste energy.
The most advanced smart thermostats estimate when you might be back at home themselves, so will switch your heating on or off accordingly, or may change the settings automatically when you walk into your house using a technology called geofencing. Others will switch your heating on or off both to keep you nice and warm but also to take advantage of the best energy tariffs.
Adding a smart thermostat to your home may cost upwards of £100 plus labour, but with the high energy prices currently facing UK consumers, you will likely save much more if it can bring down your energy bills.
If you would like a multiskilled handyman to do one or all of these tasks, or to give your London home a “property MOT” to make sure it is working as efficiently as possible then call Bits Bobs and Odd Jobs on 0208 244 5070 or book a visit online.