Tag Archive for: Winter

Ten ways to keep your home warm this winter

Winter’s on its way but that doesn’t mean that you have to succumb to the cold – certainly not in your own home. There are some really simple ways to keep the inside of your house toasty and warm. Check out these ten top tips from Britishgas.co.uk:

1.     Heat your home, not your walls – with some easy foil insulation. Cover a thin sheet of card with tinfoil and place it behind your radiators; it’ll reflect the heat back into your rooms, warming them faster and helping them retain heat.

2.     Pipe lagging (insulating hot water pipes with foam tubes) – keeps the water inside your pipes hotter for longer.

3.     Bleed your radiators – by releasing the trapped air at the top of the radiator you’ll be able to increase its efficiency.

4.     Get your boiler serviced – so that it will last longer end work more efficiently.

5.     Close the curtains – lots of warmth escapes through the windows in your home; keeping your curtains closed will trap some of the heat inside as opposed to letting it out.

6.     Heat the house with the oven – once you’ve cooked dinner leave the oven door open; the warmth will infiltrate your kitchen and slowly, the rest of your home.

7.     Roll out a carpet – if you’ve got wooden floors, putting down a carpet will cover up cracks and gaps and stop heat from escaping.

8.     Use insulation creatively –by using spray foam to insulate any cracks and gaps in your walls.

9.     Draught proof your home – if your home is draughty, patch it up! This will save you money (and keep you warm) in the long run.

10.  Figure out your ideal temperature – usually between 18 and 21 degrees. Then use your thermostat when necessary, to keep that temperature constant.

For more energy-related information, contact the team at AACooper
01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.

For more details on any of the aforementioned advice, read “10 easy tricks to keep your house warm this winter” on Britishgas.co.uk

How to get your pipes ready for winter!

This year, Watersafe, the register for approved plumbing businesses, has teamed up with the government and the Met Office for the Get Ready for Winter campaign, which aims to let homeowners know what they can do to make sure their plumbing can weather the icy temperatures forecast this winter season.

Julie Spinks, Director of WaterSafe said: “We are delighted to be co-ordinating the water sector’s efforts around the Get Ready for Winter campaign.

“One key area of preparation homes and businesses can take is to make sure their property is wrapped up – cold temperatures can cause water inside pipes to freeze leading to bursts, floods and the misery of being without water for drinking, cooking and washing.”

There are lots of simple steps households can take to prepare for a cold winter and now is a great time to get ahead and make sure homes are snug:

  • Wrap up pipes and water tanks with lagging – DIY stores have everything you need
  • Fix dripping taps – even a small trickle can result in a frozen pipe
  • Find your home’s stop tap and make sure you can turn it off – most are under the kitchen sink
  • Leave the heating on low if you go away
  • Check that your central heating boiler has been serviced
  • Keep the name of a plumber handy.

The worst that can happen is a burst pipe; if this does happen, Spinks suggests turning off the water at the stop tap and allowing the thawed water to escape through your tap as normal. Then call a plumber!

For more information on all your plumbing needs, contact the AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk