How to Protect Your Home From the Freezing Weather

It's that time of the year when the Met Office is issuing yellow warnings for snow & ice and you see numbers like predicted temperatures like -4 on your weather app. Yikes!

With winter weather making a grand entrance, we'll need to make sure our homes will be able to make it through the drastic cold weather. It might sound extreme but with the snow, ice and sub-zero temps, comes some potential damages.

Here are a few tips on how to protect your home from the freezing weather.

Check your pipes

In the colder months, there's a possibility that your pipes could freeze. If they do, that could lead to your pipes bursting, causing damage to your home. To avoid this from happening, check that the pipes in your home are insulated and if they aren't, you (or a professional) will need to add some pipe insulation.

Turn off outdoor taps

If you have any outdoor taps, switch them off using the indoor valve and open the tap to release any water inside to drain out so it doesn't freeze inside the tap.

Test the water valve

If the unfortunate happens and your pipes burst or you find yourself with a leak, you'll need to turn the main water supply off ASAP.

It's important to know where your water insulation valve (aka stopcock) is and that you test it every so often so it doesn't seize up. The last thing you want is to not be able to switch your water valve off when there's a pipe leaking somewhere in your home! Should you find the valve is stiff, use some WD-40 to help loosen it up.

Set a timer for your heating

Sometimes we have to be away from our homes during winter and that might be an issue for our pipes.

Setting a timer for your central heating means you can plan for it to come on for set time periods to prevent your pipes from freezing.

Block draughts

Draughts are sneaky and can get in through the tiniest of spaces. When temperatures dip, we want to be warm and cosy, not cold and breezy!

Check all doors, windows, lofts, skirting boards and other areas in your home that might be bringing in the cold air and block the draught.

Bleed your radiators

To keep your heating system running as smoothly as possible, check your radiators for any cold patches when they're on. Should you find any, bleed your radiators to get rid of the air pockets that are causing them to not heat up properly.

Be prepared

When snow falls fast and heavy, power cuts can occur. We may also have to stay indoors for a period of time depending on the amount of snow fall or wintery conditions. Having an emergency kit ready with the following items will be handy in case you're ever caught off guard and can't get outside:

Candles

Matches/lighter

Torches

Batteries

First-aid kit

Water

Tinned foods

Medication

Get de-icing

Keep your driveways and paths in your front and back garden clear from snow and ice during the freezing weather. Shovel away any snow and throw some gritting salt down to prevent any ice forming.

Stay warm

This point is more about you than your home, but it is important just the same when the weather turns freezing.

Whether you put on your heating, pile on the layers or want to sit hugging a hot water bottle, make sure you're staying warm as the weather gets colder, so you and your loved ones are and don't get any cold related sickness.