Winter is coming! – A Little advice from Coapt regarding the cold months ahead

14th November 2017

With winter fast approaching, we wanted to share our advice on how to best to avoid some of the nasty surprises and costly repairs we often experience during the colder months of the year. So if you’re living in or letting one of Brighton’s beautiful Regency properties, read on – because this is your go to list of things you need to know.

• Check your pipes – Frozen pipes can burst and cause flooding and leaks, so keeping the heating on low or setting the timer so that it warms your place appropriately throughout the day will help prevent the pipes becoming too cold and freezing. Top tip for those heading away to see their families over the holiday season: pop the heating on a timer so that it comes on in the morning and evening to make sure the property stays well maintained (and hey – no one likes returning home to an icy sofa). Most boiler systems and thermostats will have a winter setting where they will only come on when the temperature drops so there should be no expensive bills. If your pipes do freeze, Yorkshire Water have produced this handy little video to help you out.
• Bleeding your radiators – After a long summer of neglect, your radiators may need bleeding and combi-boilers may need re-pressurising  (and if you’re a landlord it’s always wise to have make sure your boiler is serviced every year). Both of these things are pretty simple to do once you’ve got the knack and luckily the kind folks over at B&Q have made a quick video on radiator bleeding here.
• General maintenance – before the first downpour of the season, or the first (and only) snowstorm, it’s a good idea to do a quick check around your house or flat to make sure the brickwork, drains, guttering and roof tiles are all in good condition with no cracks or holes for any rain or cold to get through. If you spot anything you’re concerned about, get in touch with Koz and his team who can come and check what needs doing.
• Insulate – Draft excluders are amazing. Yes, they look like weird floor sausages, but when you realise how much heat escapes underneath your bedroom or lounge door you’ll realise how awesome these things are (they also help save money on your heating bill). Here’s our favourite Etsy find – the sausage dog.
• Check the chimney – If you’ve got a proper chimney in your place, you’re going to need to get it swept annually so you don’t end up like the kids in Mary Poppins, covered in soot. WikiHow has you covered on this one here.

Hopefully those top-tips will ensure you enjoy a safe and cosy winter. Got any more tips? Drop us a tweet on @coaptbtn