Is Your Home Winter Proofed?

Are you doing all you can to make sure you aren't wasting energy and money at your property this winter? We've put together a checklist of things that you can do to make sure your home is winter proof.

Why Is Preparing For Winter So Important?

• Reduce reliance on heating and cooling systems
• Save money on your energy bills
• Improve your comfort at home
• Protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by lowering your energy consumption
• Protect you and your family's health and well being! 

The Doctors 10 Tips To Prepare For Winter!



1. Seal your home
Find all those gaps and holes in your doors, windows, skirting boards, flooring, taps and pipes and even electrical sockets – anywhere that air can get in or out. Make sure that your home is as airtight as possible to save you money and keep you warm.

2. Clear your gutters
With winter comes the rain, so make sure that your gutters are free of any obstructions and that there are no leaking or damaged parts. Especially if you are using rain water tanks and you want to make sure they are full for next summer. Also look into installing gutter guards that will reduce the amount of work that you need to do again in 12 months’ time!

3. Check your hot water
The last thing you want at the height of winter is for your hot water to fail. There’s nothing worse than a cold shower on an already cold winter’s day – so get a plumber in to do a health check on your hot water system. If you existing unit is more than 10 years old it may be time to upgrade and install a new instantaneous gas, or solar hot water unit. Talk to your plumber about your options. 

4. Reverse your ceiling fans
Make sure that your ceiling fans are pushing the warm air down from the ceiling, where you get to benefit from it. There is no point in heating the space that no one can reach!

5. Check your fire alarms
It is recommended that you change that batteries in your fire alarms twice a year and if you fire alarm is more than 5 years old then you should look at replacing it. If you don’t have a fire alarm in your home then consider this - is it really worth risking you or your family’s lives for the cost of a $30-$40 fire alarm?

6. Get your chimney cleaned
For those of you that still have fire places it is a must to get someone in to give the chimney a once over. You never know what may have decided to take up residence in there during the summer!

7. Convert to gas
We all love the comfort of a warm fire but old fire places are not very efficient at warming your home. By converting to a gas fire place it becomes so much easier and convenient to turn on when you need it, not to mention the benefits to the environment and the air in your home.  

8. Double glaze
By installing efficient insulated windows you can reduce the heat loss from your home and have the added benefit of reducing sound levels as well. Even better, they can keep cool air in during the summer months as well!

9. Add insulation
Adding insulation in your walls and roof can also give you the triple bonus of a warmer home during the winter, a cooler home during the summer and a quieter home all year round! 

10. Recreate your lounge
By switching the placement of chairs and couches you can make sure that you are protected from drafts, and are making the most of your homes heating. Think about putting out a throw rug or a warm plush carpet to protect your feet from cold hard flooring and swap pillows for warmer colours.  

By implementing even just a few of these changes in your home you are going to keep warm and save money, keeping you and your family happy and healthy. And with a lot of them will return benefits to you when the warmer months roll back round again as well!

Remember – The Plumbing & Electrical is here to help!

We offer:

• Hot Water inspection, repairs and replacements
• Gutter/Leaf guard installations
• Roofing and gutter repairs
• Ceiling fan installation and repair
• Smoke detector installations
• Gas fitting
• FREE electrical or plumbing inspections on every job we do!