Following on from last month’s article on ‘How to save energy and money in your home’ this month these are some tips on how to make sure you home is ready for the winter weather with a winter health check.
Boilers and heating
The boiler is the most important part of the your heating system. If it stops working you will not only be without heating and hot water but will have the inconvenience and the cost of emergency repairs. It is advisable to have your boiler serviced yearly to make sure it is working correctly and efficiently. The main problems with heating systems are: the pilot light goes out on the boiler,the hot water tap runs cold and the radiators do no heat up properly (if the radiator is cold at the top and warm at the bottom it will require bleeding, this is a fairly simple process, follow the guidance on the Homeserve website, https://www.homeserve.co.uk/living/heating-and-cooling/how-to-bleed-a-radiator/).
For servicing requirements ensure that the engineer is either Oftec registered for oil and for gas is on Gas safety register which has replaced CORGI. If you do have your boiler serviced ask your engineer to check if the heating system is clean to ensure that it is working efficiently as possible. They can also check if there are any cold spots and check if the pump is making is making a noise as this can indicate a build-up of sludge as well as water in the system and this will affect the performance of your heating.
Ensure that you know how to operate your heating system, turn radiators down, but not off if rooms are not in use. If you are going to be away for Christmas it is wise to turn of the water and drain the plumbing system, if this is no possible ensure that the heating is left on a low setting and timed if possible so that it is on at intervals through the night and day. If you do leave it on low, ask a friend or neighbour to pop in to check it is ok.
Water pipes
If you have a tank ensure that it has an insulated jacket. If it is a feed and expansion tank check that the float arm is working by moving it up and down and ensure that the valve lets in water and also shuts off the water. Also ensure that any other pipes you have access in the house have pipe insulation fitted, this is easy and cheap to do.
Make sure you know where the mains tap to your house is and test it to ensure it works. You will need to turn off the mains supply quickly if you do suffer a burst pipe. Also check that all gate valves and stopcocks also are in working order and can also be turned on and off in an emergency.
Fix any dripping taps, including external taps as this can block and cause pipes to burst completely. Screwfix has an outside tap cover for £7.99, (https://www.screwfix.com/p/outside-tap-cover/77873) very cheap considering the trouble it can save you if your tap and pipes do freeze.
Fire Safety
Decorative lights and candles - When choosing Christmas lights, opt for LED lights as these are safer than the traditional bulb lights. Make sure that you turn them off when you go out or when you go to bed. Make sure candles are located away from flammable items such as curtains, fabrics etc, ensure they are secure in an appropriate holder and make sure they are put out when going ourt and to bed.
Smoke Alarms - Make sure you have smoke alarms fitted on each level of your home and test that they are working correctly. You should test the batteries in a smoke alarm every week.
Cooking – Take care when cooking at Christmas, there are many distractions at this time of year, more than half of fires in the home are caused through accidents when cooking. Take extra care when cooking with hot oil and never leave children unattended in and around the kitchen.
Visit the government website for more information on fire safety, www. direct.gov.uk and search for ‘Fire safety in the home. (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62876fa8d3bf7f1f4947d309/Fire_Safety_in_the_Home_v4_-_Web_accessible.pdf)
Also check with your local fire and rescue service. Some offer a safe and well visit (previously called a home fire safety check) is a free service to help you stay safe and reduce the risk of fire in your home.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While every effort has been made to check the accuracy of this article, readers should always make their own checks.
The Author does not accept any responsibility for misstatements made or any misunderstandings arising from it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment