Five steps to a happier home this winter

New research from British Gas suggests that, unsurprisingly, many people in the South West (49%) are not looking forward to winter. People in the South West are most likely to dread increased transport problems (61%), shorter days (70%), the cold weather (62%), and the possibility of no heating or hot water (58%).

Winter worries about homes were highlighted in the UK wide research findings with 41% of those in the South West region saying they worry about the heating or hot water failing during the colder months, whilst 8% had worries about flooding because of burst pipes. A further 8% worried about damage caused by overflowing gutters.

British Gas’ Home Services engineers are offering households simple advice on how to spend the extra hour acquired over the weekend preparing their home for the winter, to help protect against potential costly damage incurred as a result of burst pipes, damaged water tanks or overflowing gutters.

1) Bleed your radiators: to make sure they are working properly. If your radiators have cold spots, this means you have air in the system, so you will need to bleed them to get them working efficiently.

                                                    i.     To do this, turn the system off and then turn the radiator key until the air stops and water runs consistently. Once you have turned the system back on, the problem should be solved.
                                                   ii.     Bleeding your radiator may result in pressure dropping. If you have a pressure gauge make sure the boiler is at the right pressure and top up as necessary.

2) Block the breeze: Make sure all of your home’s windows and doors seal properly to stop warm air escaping. For those that don’t, fitting draft excluders, which you can buy from most DIY stores, is a quick and cheap way to cut down on your energy bills.

3)  Manage your thermostat: Set your room thermostat at or around the recommended* temperature of 21°c (70°f).

*This week Public Health England released new recommended heating levels guidance for homes, which could lead to a reduction in bills. The guidance states that rooms occupied during the day should be kept at a minimum of 21C, and 18C at night.

4) Love your boiler: Check to make sure your boiler is working properly before winter sets in. The older your boiler the more inefficient it will be. If you have a pressure gauge make sure the boiler is at the right pressure and top up as necessary.

5) Wrap up your water tank and insulate hot water: The materials can be purchased from most DIY stores and help to conserve heat and save you money.

Susan Hooper, Managing Director, Home Services, British Gas, said: “It is always our top priority to keep our customers’ homes warm, and boilers and home appliances working during winter. We want to help customers be prepared this winter to avoid unexpected problems in the home. You don’t need to be a DIY specialist either; our top tips can be done in under an hour too and will go a long way to keeping homes warm and cosy this winter.”