home solutions
TIP THREE
Install foil behind your radiators If you have radiators fixed to external walls, slide a layer of tin foil between wall and unit to reflect as much heat as possible back into the room. Pick up special heat reflector aluminium foil to maximise retention, and remember that hanging clothes on a radiator forces it to work twice as hard. Regular bleeds will ensure your radiator performs optimally. Run your hand over your unit - if it’s cool at the top and warmer towards the bottom, it’s bleeding time.
TIP FOUR Insulate everything (but mostly
your plumbing) Tere’s not much you can’t insulate these days, but plumbing should always be your first port of call. Exposed pipes can be snugged up with slip-on foam tubing (available at most hardware stores), while boilers and water tanks can be easily dressed with jackets. A jacket costs £15-20 and should come with instructions (make sure you’ve measured your unit before you buy), and will slash your winter energy bills by reducing heat loss. According to the Energy Saving Trust, it should pay for itself in about three months. Wall, floor, and loſt insulation are similarly worthy projects, but may require professional installation for all but the most experienced DIY-ers.
TIP FIVE Use a thermostat to regulate
your heating Even if you’re a card-carrying technophobe who thinks Alexa is basically Skynet, it’s worth stretching a point for a modern, programmable thermostat. Te inbuilt timer will allow you to schedule your home’s heating, so it powers down when you go out, and turns on automatically on your return - a boon for your living room, the environment, and your bank account.
PROPERTYMAIL / 35
TIP SIX
Service your boiler Picture the scene: You crawl out of bed on a frosty Monday morning, and amble to the bathroom for a shower, only to be deluged by the domestic equivalent of the Ice Bucket Challenge. You do not want your boiler giving out in early February. Check the pressure (it should be at around one bar), and ideally get your unit serviced every autumn. If you don’t schedule in maintenance for your boiler, your boiler may end up scheduling it in for you.
TIP SEVEN
Clean out your gutters Gutter-clearing is not a glamorous occupation, but fallen leaves and sticks can easily result in a clog, and the ensuing build-up of rainwater can cause damp to seep into your walls. Get the ladder out, strap your gloves on, and prepare to get down and dirty. When your gutters are clear enough that water flows unimpeded, you’re good to go.
“PICK UP SPECIAL HEAT
REFLECTOR ALUMINIUM FOIL TO MAXIMISE RETENTION”
TIP EIGHT
Paper over cracks To stop wet, wind, and, in some cases, heat-seeking rodents from sneaking into your home uninvited, use foam adhesive and caulk to plug gaps in walls and skirting boards. High quality sealants are easy to peel off if you make a mistake, but once hardened should hold firm for many years.
TIP NINE
Keep the slush away from When you cross the threshold, you don’t want winter coming with you, and if you don’t have a mudroom, you’re going to have to tackle the weather head-on. A rough-textured doormat will help shed mud and gunk from your shoes, a boot scraper is a must in rural environments, and a plastic boot tray should protect your indoor floor..
TIP TEN
Snug up! At the end of the day, nothing cosies up a long winter evening like traditional home comforts and hygge. Pile on the blankets, set a fire going, brew some hot cocoa, and throw on some Dean Martin. Bliss.
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