Winter is fast approaching and with many of us still working from home this year, it’s the perfect time to ensure the exterior of our homes are well looked after and is ready to stand up against the harsh winter weather allowing us to stay cosy and warm into our homes this festive season
This article will explore the top 5 things to do this winter to the exterior of your home in preparation for Winter.
1 Clear your Gutters
Cleaning any leaves or debris out of your gutter/ downpipes before they become full, cracked or broken can be a really quick and cheap solution to keeping your home water resistant this winter. This maintenance would prevent possible internal damp patches caused from external walls being soaked.
Depending on how you react when working at height you can either pay somebody to do it for you or get yourself an extension ladder and keep on top of the task yourself.
2 Secure your Home
Did you know 73% of all burglaries use an unlocked door as an entry into your home? This is why it is especially important to keep your gates, windows and doors, securely locked and fitted with bolts where possible, to stay safe and secure. Dark nights can be attractive to criminals, and we should do what we can to protect our homes.
If you have a burglar alarm just like your smoke alarm it is important to make sure they regularly tested and maintained.
3 Tend to the Garden
Your garden can quite easily cause problems in winter and by carrying out simple tasks we can prepare it as much as possible for the cold winter months. Clearing all moss and weeds off of pathways is a perfect start, this will help prevent a pathway from becoming hazards or slippery from ice or rain.
Trim back any overgrown and overhanging tree/ hedges to prevent any damage to cars or the exterior of your house buy loose branches falling down in the wind.
If you are expecting ice the next morning or snow our best advice is to buy de-icing salt or grit (the stuff the big trucks spray on the roads) disperse it on any pathways or areas, you need to get to/ use to make it so much easier to shovel any snow out of the way and it should also help to minimise the amount of ice on your paths the next morning.
4 Insulate your Pipes
According to British Gas, one of the UK’s biggest issues during the colder months are UK household pipes bursting, but this is an issue that can be easily and cheaply prevented and here’s how.
To prevent any water pipes from freezing, insulate any outside pipes of your home using lagging, which can be bought cheaply from most DIY shops.
5 Fix Broken Gates and Fences
Check your gate and fences for any defects ready for the winter months. Small breakages and cracks may appear okay now, but once the harsh winter wind and frost come along, they can blow away and need completely replacing.
There you have it, there are a wide range of tasks you can get to work on in preparation for the winter months, it shouldn’t take you too long either, so once you’ve got to work sit back with your favourite drink and wait for the big man to drop by.
