Audrey 
As winter approaches, our routines around the house need to adjust accordingly. Extreme temperatures can cause issues to certain parts of our homes including important functions like plumbing.
To make sure you’re prepared to combat the cold, here’s some things to do in time for winter…
Get Your Boiler Serviced
If you haven’t already, you may want to get your boiler serviced before the sharp cold sets in. Warranties for boilers usually last a few years, however, part of the warranty requires an annual service to keep it valid. Boilers are expensive, so you’ll want to make sure you do everything to keep it and its warranty going.
It is typically recommended to get your boiler serviced in summer when things are less busy. Issues with heating and boilers typically arise after this season, since they have likely not been used heavily and problems haven’t been noticed.
Once these issues are finally noticed, boiler engineers get busier and less available, so try to get one before it starts getting too cold by searching for heating and plumbers near me.
Check Radiators
As well as boilers, you should check the rest of your heating system as well. Unlike with a boiler where you’ll need an expert on the Gas Safety Register, some radiator issues you can improve yourself.
If you’ve noticed rooms aren’t heating up as much as they should and that you need to crank up your heating to higher levels, check your radiators. Feel for cold spots and if you do find any, you can try bleeding your radiator.
To bleed your radiator you’ll need to turn off the heating, then loosen the valve with your radiator key. You may want to put a cloth down in case of any leaking drops of water. If you hear gurgling noises after doing this, it means your radiator has air trapped inside and you are releasing it. This should fix the problem.
However, if you don’t hear any noises and there are still cold spots after trying this, you may need to contact an expert to perform a power flush and get rid of sludge build up by using special chemicals.
Making sure your radiators are working at their best will help save on your energy bills, as well as keep you cozy.
Improve Habits = Better Plumbing
In winter, pipes become susceptible to freezing, blocking and bursting. Drains take a lot of punishment, especially in busy times of year like Christmas. By improving simple habits, it could prevent you from needing an emergency repair in the future.
Try to refrain from relying on your drains too much, instead of pouring leftover bits of food down the kitchen sink, scrape as much as possible off of plates and directly into the food waste bin. Food debris, sauces and liquids like cooking oil can congeal and build up to cause havoc in your pipes.
Blockages can eventually happen, whether that’s by disposing of too much down the drain or the issue is sped up by pipes freezing. Signs to look out for include water draining very slowly and gurgling noises. If this happens, try pouring boiling hot water down the sink, along with unblocking solutions.
Insulate and Save Energy
Insulating your home is key to getting the most out of your heating, meaning you won’t need to use as much energy and can keep your bills on the lower side.
Check over your home to see if there are any gaps or cracks you can fill in, feel the joins in your windows and doors for draughts. If the cold is still getting in even though doors and windows are closed, you may need to fit a draught excluder or upgrade parts to help keep warmth in.
Final Thoughts
There’s a range of things you can do in order to stay comfortable and avoid house issues this winter, from big steps such as investing in new windows and heating systems, to small steps like changing habits. Try out some of the tips above and feel the difference.
