Keeping Your Home Safe This Winter
As winter sets in, the colder temperatures and shorter days create unique challenges for homeowners. By taking a few simple precautions, you can ensure that your home stays safe, secure and comfortable throughout the colder months
Start by ensuring that your home is well-prepared for the cold. Check for drafts around windows and doors and seal any gaps with weatherstripping or caulk to keep warmth inside and prevent energy loss. Insulating your home properly can also help protect pipes from freezing, a common issue during winter. Exposed pipes in unheated areas should be wrapped with insulation or heated tape to prevent them from bursting.
Your heating system needs attention as well. Have a professional inspect and service your boiler. Keeping your heating system running efficiently not only reduces the risk of breakdowns during a cold snap but also keeps your home at a comfortable temperature.
With the use of space heaters, fireplaces and holiday decorations, fire safety becomes especially important in winter. If you use space heaters, make sure they are placed on flat, stable surfaces and kept away from flammable materials. Always turn them off before leaving a room or going to bed. If you have a fireplace, have the chimney cleaned and inspected annually to prevent the build-up of creosote, which can lead to chimney fires.
With shorter daylight hours, it’s important to keep your home secure during the evening. Motion-sensor lights around your property can deter burglars and increase visibility. Timed security lights offer the option of switching on for a set period so can be on all night for a six-to-eight-hour period, though neighbours may need to be considered.
Mains security lights are wired to your home’s electricity. Additional power consumption needs to be considered but you can often customise these lights more and have stronger bulbs in them. Hybrid security lights are a combination of features. These lights could be timed, solar powered, through the mains, motion sensored or a mix of them.
You might also consider installing a security system or using smart home devices to monitor your home remotely.
By staying vigilant and addressing these winter-specific risks, you can ensure that your home remains safe and secure throughout the season.
