Get ready for the short days & cold nights
Preparation for Winter can begin as soon as want it to
The main expenditure during winter is fuel and general electricity plus gas usage.
Much money can be saved by ensuring that your home is being as selfish as possible with it's heat thus ensuring lower bills.
Here's a few things which we can be doing now..........
Solid Fuel
Collecting wood and storing. What better way to spend a nice day then wandering through the woods and picking up dead wood. Take a big laundry bag with you, they hold loads.
Whenever you drive past a Coal Merchants, buy a bag and off-cost the big order in Autumn.
Make sure the chimneys are clean and ready. Usually it's best to have them cleaned in late Spring before the price goes up (as with solid fuel).
The advantage of cleaning them now is that there could be birds nests on top.
With the Aga or Rayburn, clean and repair any cracks with Fire Cement.
Insulation Weaknesses
This is where the thermostats can go off quicker than you want them to, so check out the following....
Door frames are secure from Draughts and watertight. Ensure cat flaps are in good order and you don't need to replace.
Same with windows and clean all the rubber seals.
Check around holes where various pipes leave the house and fill with Filler etc.
Check the loft to make sure the fibre glass or loose chip insulation hasn't moved leaving blank areas.
Consider curtain lining for extra insulation.
If you have wooden flooring, make sure no gaps have appeared by movement during the summer months
Electricity and Gas
Ensure all your heaters, especially Gas, are serviced and checked by an authorised Company.
If you have Electricity and Gas, look around for the best deals. It may well be cheaper to change supplier and consolidate them both.
Check the seals on Fridges and Freezer doors. Put a piece of paper in the door and see if you can move it.
But Long Life energy saving light bulbs, over a year, the savings are huge.
Finally, if you can avoid Utility Bills being paid by Direct Debit - do so. You either have a shock when you owe them even more money, or they've over-estimated the costs and they're making interest out of your money - when you could be !
Don't leave it til Spring to clean out the gutters, have a look as soon as leaf fall has finished.
With rotted leafs and heavy snow, this could be just enough to bring down your guttering on a frozen January afternoon.
The only people who'll be pleased about it will be the DIY Supermarkets !
