Is your home ready for winter?

Is your home ready for winter?

Your home is your sanctuary – and keeping it warm can be a challenge. Here are some tips on making your home more energy efficient and keeping the heat in and the cold out.

As the temperature dips, the leaves fall and Christmas lights go up, don’t forget to get your home ready for the cold winter months.

Here are some helpful tips to get your home winter ready.

1) Keep the warmth in (and the cold out)

First off be sure to check that your heating system is in good working order.

Next, make sure that once heat is generated it doesn’t get lost straight away. Check the seals on your windows and doors and if they are broken, we recommend you have these repaired as soon as possible.

A lot of heat can be lost through single glazing and even double-glazed windows installed before 2006. If you believe this is happening in your home, contact a glazing professional to discuss installing or replacing your old windows with modern thermally efficient glazing. Secondary glazing and/or applied window film should also be considered as an option.

It is important to ensure your home has sufficient ventilation to keep living areas healthy and prevent the build-up of moisture. Without adequate ventilation, moisture in the air may lead to condensation, which can cause mould on walls and damp that can damage interior surfaces and impair the quality of vision of your windows.

2) Keep energy use under control

It’s normal for fuel bills to rise over the winter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to reduce your energy use at this time of year.

Your home’s windows could be a potential energy saver. If you live in a semi-detached house with single glazed timber windows and electric heating, upgrading to A+ rated energy efficient windows could potentially save you up to £446 a year in energy costs, based on the average window area for this home type.

Find out how much you could potentially save: GGF Energy Savings Calculator

3) Prepare your home’s exterior

Winter can bring all sorts of extreme weather to your doorstep, so preparing the exterior of your home for what nature could throw its way is a good idea.

– clear out gutters and downpipes.

– check roof tiles and rooflights and have leaks repaired now before the worst of the weather arrives

– check the exterior of all windows and doors for damage that needs repairing

Why shiver this winter? Prepare your home, stay warm and think about the measures you can take to improve your energy efficiency.

Need a glazing professional? Find a GGF Member company near you