As we approach the colder months and require our heating and insulation again, some checks are needed to ensure our home is in the best working condition for optimal efficiency – before they are put to use! Follow our tips below on what to check in your London property to ensure it’s winter-ready.
Protect Radiators and Boilers
Protecting radiators and boilers is key to keeping lower bills. According to Property Reporter, modern radiators can be up to 50% more economical than 20-year-old ones. Therefore, it’s important that if they are older, that more upkeep is done to keep them working efficiently. Read Property Reporter’s recent article discussing top tips to ensure your radiators are winter-ready.
Seal Gaps
Don’t forget to seal gaps in your floors, skirting boards, doors and windows! For that extra comfort during the colder months, consider adding extra layers of protection too, like covering floorboards with cosy rugs! Read our article on how to winter-proof your property for more details. Double-glazed windows is an excellent feature (and investment) too. Read our article on smart home renovations that give the most return on investment to learn more.
Insulate your pipes
Make sure water pipes and water tanks are insulated with good quality lagging. This will not only protect them from freezing, but it will help insulate your hot water system and save you money too!
Ensure you’re Insured!
As the Met Office explains, sometimes no amount of planning and prep can avoid the wintery weather from damaging your property. Building insurance, therefore, offers peace of mind, so remember to check that your policy is up to date and covers what you need it to before it starts getting especially chilly!
Trim Those Trees and Clear That Guttering
Neglecting your garden can cause problems in the winter months. As the Met Office explains, to avoid the build-up of leaves in the guttering, you should prune your trees before winter kicks in. This helps to avoid potential snow building on top of the trees as well, which risks resulting damage from broken branches.
It’s recommended you check your gutters twice a year, which is why we recommend checking them during the summer. But if you live next to deciduous plants that lose all their leaves part of the year or those that drop debris like pines often, we suggest you check more often than not! Especially before winter comes when more rain and potentially snow is due, excess build-up of natural debris in your gutter systems could cause leaking or overflow, thus putting your home at risk of water damage.
Need help to protect your London property? At Rickman Properties, we have years of experience in managing London properties for private landlords, which includes maintenance and checks to ensure they are safe during the winter months. Contact us today to find out more.
