With winter not over yet, and the temperatures set to plummet once again before we can truly enjoy the spring, keeping warm is something that is important to all of us to ensure that we stay healthy. Making sure that your home is warm enough is essential to your health, and with snow back on the cards as we enter March, it is wise to pay attention to this.

Here are some of the practical things that you can do to prepare you and your home for the incoming cold weather…

Prepare your Boiler – It’s time to make sure that your boiler is ready to use once again, and if you haven’t had a service done on it for a while, then now is the time. If you were considering a new boiler, it might also be a good idea to get a professional like this boilers Cheltenham based company https://www.hprservicesltd.com/cheltenham-boilers/boiler-repair-cheltenham to install one for you now as this means as well as keeping you warm now you will have a new boiler ready to go in the winter too.

Protect Pipes – One of the most common problems that the cold weather can cause is pipes that freeze up. If you haven’t done so already, this is a good time to prepare your pipes and insulate them before the cold snap arrives. Pipes that are too cold run the risk of freezing and therefore can then burst. If you have a hosepipe, check that it is not attached to your outdoor tap, as this can also increase the chances of it freezing.

Check your Loft – As well as the pipes, the loft also will need to be insulated, and now is a good time to make sure that you have suitable insulation in the loft as this is where a lot of the heat is lost from your home. When hot air rises and escapes through the roof, your heating bills will be higher, so loft insulation is well worth investing in if you want to make sure that you save money on your heating costs in the long run. You can buy loft insulation materials in most DIY shops to do yourself if you wish.

Looking after yourself and others in cold weather

A warm home is only part of staying healthy when the cold returns. The darker months also cut the amount of sunlight we get. By December the hours of darkness outnumber the hours of daylight, and since most of our vitamin D comes from the sun, taking a supplement through winter is sensible. Getting outside for exercise as often as possible helps both physical and mental health.

Before a cold snap arrives, have your heating checked to make sure it is in good working order, and get any repairs to fences and roofs done before bad weather makes the damage worse.

Cold spells are especially hard for people who live alone or have mobility problems. Keep in touch with elderly friends and relatives, and when the weather turns icy, offer to help with chores such as shopping so they do not have to risk slippery pavements.

Getting your car and paths ready for ice

A late cold snap catches out drivers as much as householders, so it pays to get the car ready before the frost returns. A thin coat of petroleum jelly on the door seals helps stop them freezing shut and keeps the doors watertight. Keep the screenwash topped up, check that the wiper blades are in good condition and look over all the bulbs regularly. A blanket kept in the car is worth having in case you break down or get stuck in bad weather.

Inside the house, any doubts about the heating are best dealt with now. Bleeding the radiators is a simple start, and it is far better to have a fault repaired before the temperature drops further than to lose heating altogether on the coldest night.

Snow and ice usually cause the most trouble. A shovel for clearing paths and the driveway, plus a supply of rock salt to melt ice or stop it building up on steps, will make the house much safer to get in and out of. When you do head out, shoes or boots with a good grip are invaluable.