Every year around this time, the media is filled with stories about how this is going to be the coldest winter since records began, or some such. That said, we’ve not had a really cold winter for a while so we are probably due some serious weather over the next few months. Here are a few things you can do to prepare…
Extra blankets
I have a weighted blanket on top of my usual duvet on my bed, and S has started using a double duvet to ensure she’s extra cosy at night. As well as this, every room has extra blankets. There’s a box of blankets in our living room, and my reading corner in the dining room has a blanket ready to be used. I even keep one next to my desk for when I’m working.
Hot drinks
Never underestimate the power of a hot drink to warm you up! I am something of a coffee snob; people laugh at how I buy four or five different types of coffee and blend them together in a jar before use. I’ve also been spending a lot of time browsing longingly through this website, thinking about treating myself to a proper espresso machine. For now though, I’ll make do with my kettle and my special blend of coffees!
Roof Heating
A single, small snow fall will usually melt right off a roof – but if you get heavy snow over a sustained period, this can lead to a dangerous build-up of snow and ice on roofs. This can soon become a life threatening problem if the snow and ice begin to fall off the roof in chunks. One way around this is heated roof cables which can be switched on when needed, and keep your roof and guttering free of snow and ice, preventing ice dams and roof-edge ice build up. Click here to read about what that entails.
Invest in insulation
Loft and cavity wall insulation can make a big difference to how warm your house is, and how high your heating bill is. If you’re not sure whether your home is fully insulated, it may be worth speaking to a local company to see if they do a free home visit to consult on this sort of thing. Local companies mostly rely on SEO to ensure they show up in your Google searches; this is something it’s worth looking into and you can learn more by visiting an SEO site. Apparently up to 45% of your home’s heat can be lost through uninsulated walls, and up to 30% can be lost through the roof so it is worth looking into this.
Block draughts
This might mean investing in heavy curtains to keep the draughts out, or buying draught excluders to go beneath doors. As the weather gets colder you will begin to notice cold air flowing through the house more than usual, so now is a good time to look at how you can stop that happening. If your home is particularly draughty you may also want to install curtains over internal doors to help keep rooms warm.
Have your heating system serviced
At this time of year the last thing you need is for the heating to stop working. Calling in the professionals for a quick once-over can prevent this happening. Even just bleeding the radiators can make a difference; here is a short video to show you how you can do this yourself.
Stock your cupboards
I don’t mean that you need to begin stockpiling food – just make sure you have enough long-life food (eg cans, rice, pasta) in the cupboard so that if you do get snowed in, you can survive for a few days without needing to go out. It’s also a good idea to stock up on other things such as soap, toilet roll and any important medications you rely on.
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