With the colder weather, taking care of your home and preventing damage in the winter can be tricky. For homeowners and those looking to extend a house we’ve got our top tips for maintaining a property and tackling the temperature.

As energy bills rise many of us are looking to cut the use our heating – this can be difficult in older, poorly insulated properties. It is recommended that you have your heating on for at least an hour a day to prevent pipes freezing. It’s still important to be able to locate your properties stopcock so you can easily turn off the water in the event of frozen pipes. You should then thaw them slowly with hot water bottles – never with direct heat from things such as blowtorches.

We’d suggest checking if your provider offers an off-peak energy tariff that could help with costs and heading over to our blog on ‘how to create an energy efficient home’ for tips on cutting energy bills. When designing a home extension or loft conversion it’s important to consider futureproofing your home for Britain’s notoriously chilly winters, with insulation and heating options at both the build and finishing stages.

On the subject of heating, it is important to check your radiators. They can be prone to blockages and may requires ‘bleeding’ (removal of excess air in the system), which is something most are able to do themselves with a little patience and help from YouTube. A sign this may need doing is if your radiator doesn’t seem to be heating evenly, with the warmth not reaching the top of the radiator.

Condensation, caused by warm air coming in to contact with cold surfaces, can create a damp and damaging environment in your home. It is a leading cause of peeling paintwork and can damaged wallpaper with the increased moisture. It may seem counterproductive but ventilating your property by occasionally opening a window can prevent this. It’s important to use an extractor fan when showering or cooking – luckily, they have become far less of an eyesore in the home. Below is an example of an integrated extractor fan in a London kitchen extension, it sits below the induction hob creating both an effective and sleek solution to stop condensation.

Nobody likes cleaning gutters but neglecting them can cause blockages and effect rainwater drainage which can cause big problems for your home. If you are able to safely remove leaves and debris, we would recommend doing so and checking the gutters are draining correctly.

Air leaks and drafts can cause problems but also make for an unpleasant chill in the winter months, whilst excluders can help it’s important to consider the long-term benefits of replacing older and ill-fitting doors and windows. Many now come with fantastic thermal retention features that can make for cooler summers and warmer winters without having to touch the thermostat.

http://www.hometales.co..uk/bookingIf you’re designing a home extension or renovating a property, speak to our expert team for advice on all things design and planning. You can book to speak with us by heading here to our live diary or by emailing us at hello@hometales.co.uk. We are also available to chat on 0207 043 2378 and look forward to answering questions you may have.