Looking After Your Home This Winter
As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, there are a few simple things you can do to help keep your home safe, warm and ready for winter.
One of the simplest ways to lower the chance of burst or frozen pipes is to keep your heating on. Keeping your home warm, even if you’re away, will help stop the water from freezing inside your pipes.
You can also disconnect your garden hose. Trapped water could freeze and split the hose, or much worse, the water could be forced back up through the tap and burst the pipe.
Making sure your boiler is looked after and working well will make sure you’re not left in the cold when you need it most. If we make an appointment with you for a gas service, please let us in so we can help make sure your home is safe and warm in the winter.
Damp, Mould, and Condensation
Winter is one of the most common times for damp and mould to form, as colder weather can lead to more condensation inside the home. To help lower the risk, try not to dry clothes on radiators, as this adds extra moisture to the air. Opening windows often, even for a short time each day, can improve air flow and help moisture escape. It's also a good idea to leave a small gap between furniture and walls to prevent damp from building up behind it.
Emergency Kit
You may have checked that your home is ready for winter, but what about unexpected weather? There are some more things we can do to be ready for unpredictable weather events, such as power cuts and heavy snowfall.
You could make an emergency winter kit to keep in your home, or in your car. Below is a list of some of the things to consider:
- Torch and spare batteries
- Shovel
- Rock salt
- First aid kit
- Spare blankets or sleeping bags
- Stock of food that does not need to be kept in the fridge
- Bottled water
The UK Government has recently published advice on how to prepare for a power cut, you can read more about this here: Power cuts - Be Ready.
In the event of an extended power outage, our teams will be on hand to support vulnerable residents and help keep everyone safe. If you have any concerns or questions, please call us on 0800 833 160.
Fire Safety
Getting ready for winter also means thinking about the fire safety risks that come with it. You can look after your home by following some simple tips from our Fire Safety Manager:
- Inspect all Christmas lights for any sign of damage and do not leave on when you’re not home or when you’re asleep.
- If you are using extension leads no more than three sets of lights should be plugged in, and you should not place extension leads with plugs in under your tree covered over by gifts.
- Take care with candles, incense sticks, or oil burners. Do not place them near materials such as curtains or greeting cards that could easily catch fire.
- We know there are lots of distractions over the festive period, but please never leave cooking unattended, even for a short time.
- Make sure natural Christmas trees are watered to stop the tree from drying out.
- Keep portable heaters away from beds, furniture, curtains and other items that could catch fire. Never cover a heater or use it to dry clothes.