Winter is coming – are you ready for the cold season?
Winter is coming, and we do not refer to the Game of Thrones TV series. The cold season is around the corner, and you have to check if your house is ready for the following months. It is important during the winter months not to experience health issues, because in the majority of cases, people have to deal with health conditions caused by the conditions from their homes. If your house is a in a good condition, then there will be no mould, and damp that can cause you, health issues. If you need guidelines on how to prepare your house for winter, in this article you will find everything explained.
You should slowly condition your house to lower temperatures
When the cooler temperatures hit, people have the tendency to crank up the heat and to put a great pressure on the thermostat. Your body may tell you that it is grateful for doing it, but the sudden change can lead to health problems. Also, if you crank up the heat from the first day, the temperatures start to get low, you will soon receive high bills for energy. Experts recommend a different strategy, you should help your body get used with the changes in temperatures, and the best way to do it is to change the warming pattern you have used until now. You will still feel comfortable in your house but you will not run the thermostat at its highest temperature from the first days of winter. During the first month, you should increase the thermostat with a degree every day. In this way, you slowly change the temperature and you allow your body to adapt. This tip will also help you save money. Do not forget to seal the windows, because it is important to prevent the cold air entering the house. And during morning you should open the blinds and curtain, because the heat of the sun will warm up your house.
Get rid of pets
During summer, you do not have to worry that pests take over your house, because they prefer to stay outdoors. But when the temperatures will get colder, they will want to get indoors, because they know that the house will offer them a comfortable life. You should know that rodents are not the only pests that can have a negative impact on your life’s quality. A warm home is heaven for pests, and this means spiders cockroaches, and numerous other bugs. If you want to avoid this situation, you will have to take preventive measures, before the cold season hits. Pests come with multiple dangers for your health, and they are simply disturbing. You do not want to wake up in the middle of the night and see rodents crawled in your bed. Pests are the main cause of allergies. 1. If you want to keep them away from your house, you should seal all the holes and cracks you can notice outside the house. 2. Check around the pipes and utilities that enter your house, because a little mouse can fit even into a hole smaller than a coin. 3. In case you use firewood to warm up your house, you should store it at least 30 feet from your house, because they are the perfect home for mice and ants. 4. Organise your storage area, because rodents prefer crowded spaces when they are looking for a nest.
Is your boiler ready for winter?
That time of the year when the boiler needs to function daily is here again. The last thing you want is it to break in the middle of winter. If you want to make sure that it functions properly, you should check it with a few weeks before the winter starts. If it is too late to check it, and it breaks one day, then you should not panic, because there are companies that rent boilers for a determined period of time. You can use a temporary boiler for the period when a professional fixes yours. However, if the winter did not hit until now, you still have time to check it. Before the winter hits, it is advisable to turn the boiler on a few hours every week, before starting to use it at its full blast. You should check your pipes and in case they are not insulated properly, or if they are not insulated at all, you should do it now. If they are insulated they will help your boiler function effectively, and the water will not freeze when it will run through them. Check the pressure levels, even if you have a modern boiler. In case the pressure is at a too high or too low level can cause issues to the boiler. Do not wait until the cold winter kicks in to start the boiler, when you notice the first signs of frosty weather, you should turn the boiler for a couples of hours both during morning and during evening. This will help it run smoothly and it will help you save on your electricity bills.
