Why Autumn Is The Best Time To Repair Your Home

By Ruth MacEachern

Product Manager

You may be able to hazard a guess at some of the recommendations; check for leaks and issues with the roof, but did you know ventilation can play a big part to both you and your homes health during the Winter?

Taking on DIY and home maintenance before the cold weather hits may sound like a daunting task but it can negate the need for more serious remedial work when the temperatures thaws. Autumn is the last chance of light in the morning and evening, so offers the opportunity for you to fix those issues before the ever-present darkness hits. 

15 essential pre-winter home preparations:

1. Lag your pipes – especially plastic ones, with the stark contrast of the cold outside and heat inside pipes often burst.
    
2. If you have a working fire, make sure to get your chimney swept – this also doubles up as a bit of an MOT too as a chimney sweeper can advise of any potential serious problems. 
    
3. Get your boiler serviced – is there anything worse than a boiler needing fixing in the Winter?
    
4. Avoid loft conversions and roofing projects – the UK is never going to have a ‘nice winter’ so there is no point trying to do major work when the weather is the most bleak and dangerous.
   
   BUT
    
5. Check your loft is insulated or that existing insulation doesn’t need replacing. 
   
   AND
    
6. Check your roof for minor repairs like replacing slates and tiles – this will prevent leaks and can be sorted fairly easily.
    
7. Fit security lights and/or check existing ones are working – as we’ve previously mentioned Winter welcomes darkness and the last thing you want after a long day at work, is to come home in the cold and be standing on your porch trying to see your lock and fumbling about with your key.
    
8. Check gutters, downpipes and gullies – look for leaves, moss and random debris to prevent blockages.
    
9. Fix broken gates, fences and garage/shed doors – the bad weather and burglars take advantage of old locks etc which could leave you open and vulnerable to both.
    
10. Draughtproof your windows and doors – on average a good draught-proofing job for a whole house costs between £85 and £276 for materials and insulation.
    
    It is estimated doing this can save you £20 - £40 each year, so if you can get a draught proofing for around £80 it has paid for itself in three years not to mention the immediate benefits of a warmer home.
     
11. Check windows for damage – cracks, wobbly locks and even the sealant around the windows, in winter you want your home to be as warm, safe and secure as possible. 
     
12. Set your temperature – an hour of a morning whilst getting ready and an hour of evening after dinner whilst getting ready for bed, or whichever works best for your home but sticking to just the set times will save energy and money.  
     
13. Make sure you’re on the best energy deal – there are plenty of comparison websites out there and the majority of companies have made switching providers easy.
     
14. Ensure your insured – as previously mentioned Britain isn’t blessed with mild weather winters meaning your home could fall foul to a tree falling through during a storm, so best make sure your insurance covers that.
     
15. Finally, make sure your home is well ventilated – ‘autumn’ these days could very well be renamed condensation season! Windows that are streaming with condensation are a sure sign you have a ventilation problem in your home. Not only that but your extractor fan could also be taking away that much needed heat along with the moisture.
    
    Replacing your extractor fan or fitting a ventilation solution needn’t be a major project. We have a range of ventilation solutions to suit any property and solve your ventilation needs.   

Single Room heat recovery units work by continuously extracting moist air from rooms in the home, which is especially important in bathrooms, utility rooms and kitchens. This heat energy transfer can help save money on energy costs, because it keeps temperatures more constant than when opening windows for ventilation.

A Single Room Heat Recovery unit is a ventilation system designed for one-room installation, such as a kitchen or bathroom. This is an ideal form of ventilation to ensure you don’t lose out on any of that precious heat – especially during the winter.

The heatSava is an energy efficient, through the- wall mini ventilation unit called a Single Room Heat Recovery unit (SRHR). It has been designed for people who are looking for new and innovative ways to save energy. The heatSava is an intelligent through the wall single room heat recovery unit ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, WC’s and utility rooms achieving up to 75% efficiency.