Posted on 19 October 2022
Get your home winter ready
With winter fast approaching, and the fuel crisis affecting everybody, it's even more important to get your home winter ready. We want to share some important steps you can take to make sure your home is healthy, but also point to some practical advice on saving energy and money.
Check your boiler
Even if you don’t want to put your boiler on yet, you should test it’s working by switching it on for one hour, and seeing if your radiators heat up. Pipes and boilers can seize up over the summer when they’re not being used. If your boiler doesn’t work, get in touch with us as soon as possible so we can get it fixed in time for winter.
Check your heaters
If you have a different type of heater, like storage heaters, or solar, you should check these too. Run the system for approximately 20 minutes to ensure it's working correctly. If any radiators or controls aren’t working properly, get in touch with us.
If you’re a homeowner, you should stay on top of your heating and boiler servicing, as well as any other gas appliances. Find out more about your annual gas safety check.
Get your chimney swept
If you have an open fire or wood burning stove, it’s important to have your chimney swept annually, and don’t forget to use a fireguard. You’ll want to check all your fire and smoke alarms are working too.
Tips to save energy in your home
It’s important that you always keep your home above 18 degrees. If you don’t, it could impact your health and cause permanent damage to your home. But, there are ways to be efficient with your heating system, and your home, to save money.
Make sure the settings on your boiler are correct, so that it’s not heating up water unnecessarily. You can set a timer and the thermostat. Make sure to keep it switched off when you’re not in, and consider switching your heating off 30 minutes before you go out as you’ll benefit from the residual heat. More details about how to control your central heating system can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website.
Take a look at our advice and support web pages for more advice on managing your finances and energy, including our energy advice booklet: Saving energy in your home (PDF, 592KB).
This story is part of our Helping Hand initiative.