Looking After Your North London Home In Cold Weather
With the Beast From The East followed by Storm Emma battering the UK our homes have really been put through their paces coping with the elements, so how do you look after your North London home during such cold weather? When weather becomes very cold the water pipes in your home can freeze. This can lead to a burst pipe, which in turn can cause a lot of damage to your home and belongings. There are some very simple steps you can take in order to prevent your pipes from freezing.
- Leave the central heating on for short periods of time throughout the day
- Let warm air into your roof space by keeping the trap door open
- Keep the cupboard door under the sink open. This will let warm air move around the pipes
- Keep room doors slightly open to allow the warm air to move around the house
- If you are going to be away from your house while the weather is cold ask a friend or neighbour to check the house and keep the heating on
If you have a frozen pipe
- Thaw it out slowly by using hot water bottles or towels soaked in warm water
- Do not use direct heat such as blowtorches as this may cause permanent damage to the pipes. The use of blowtorches could also lead to a fire in the home.
The average cost of building insurance has gone up a whopping 14.3 per cent in 12 months, which has been caused mainly to the extreme winter conditions experienced in recent years. 62% more calls from homeowners caught short and in need of boiler repairs have pushed premiums higher. Condensing boilers which became the standard UK boiler system in 2005 are generally more efficient but prone to freezing up in winter as their pipes typically run outside of the house, leaving them exposed to the elements. Lagging pipes, having your boiler regularly checked by a corgi registered gas safe professional and also the repair of any structure damage will help in reducing problems, and save you money in the long run. Improving your energy efficiency of your North London home, believe it not is fair straight forward. A good start is to fill any draughty gaps keeping the heat inside your home. This will help save on your fuel bills too.
- Block draughts from windows, external and internal doors, skirting, loft hatches, and pipes or cables passing through walls.
- Draw the curtains at dusk and close internal doors to unheated rooms.
- Insulate your loft – a quarter of your heat can be lost through the roof.
- Get heating appliances serviced, or your chimneys swept to make sure that the fire burns efficiently.
- Radiator reflectors will direct heat into the room and not out through an external wall (make sure the radiators are not covered by curtains or furniture).
- Fit a thermal jacket around the hot water cylinder – at least 75mm thick – and check the thermostat isn’t set higher than 60 degrees.
- If your radiators have cool spots when the central heating is on, bleed them to improve their efficiency.
If you aren’t sure then it’s best to seek the advice of a professional, at Entire Houze we’re always happy to help.
