10.16.2017

It’s Never Too Early to Get Ready for Winter

We’re already deep into October and the autumn season is soon about to end. Within a couple of weeks, winter will begin and before you know it, we’re going to be wrapped in blankets huddled around the fireplace to try and save on heating bills. However, that’s no way to force yourself to live and you should always prepare for the winter several months in advance. In this post, we’ll be going through a few ways to ease yourself into the harsh winter months without breaking the bank or using too much effort.


Get Practical Supplies Ready

Let’s not beat around the bush: winter can be dangerous. If power cuts and water stoppages are normal for you, then it’s best to prepare for what the cold can do. Make sure you stock up on a little food and water in the event you’re snowed-in or the water supply is frozen and cut off. If you regularly experience long cutouts each year then double or even triple the food supply so you have plenty to live off if you end up in a blizzard or snowstorm while being stuck in your house. If you need to use a backup generator, then stock up on fuel so you can keep it running when the power goes down. If you cut your own wood for a fireplace, then do it now before you’re forced to chop trees in the freezing weather and keep them stored in a nice dry place so they are easily accessible. If you’d like to learn more about supplies to keep with you during winter, then check out this article from CDC.gov.

Get Your Appliances Fixed

It makes sense to get your appliances in order before you reach the winter. If they haven’t been checked for a long time then there’s a good chance they could be broken or break down when they’re most needed. Get your appliances sorted before the cold actually starts for that peace of mind. This isn’t something you want to do yourself unless you have experience, so make sure you remember to hire a professional that knows what they are doing. Services like AcademyAir.com are fantastic for fixing all manner of appliances. Be it heating machines or cooling machines, contractors will typically fix them on the same day they arrive unless they need extra parts and pieces. In that case, they’ll usually come back within the week to repair whatever it is you need fixing. You may also want to replace the batteries in any kind of smart device that you have so they keep on working and don’t randomly stop.

Decorative Preparations

DIY doesn’t always have to be about fixing things. DIY can be creative and you can focus on things like changing your blankets and pillow sheets to something a little more wintery. Blue, white and green colours are incredibly popular around this time and it’s never a bad idea to switch into winter garments and accessories before the cold starts. You may also want to completely change your wardrobe to suit the winter months. Grab lots of big and comfortable coats to stay warm wherever you are and don’t forget to wear extra pairs of socks to keep your feet nice and toasty. These decorative preparations are simple, fast and practical and can contribute to getting ready for winter.

Gutter Cleaning

If you have trees around you then you’d understand how difficult it is to clean gutters. The leaves can fall onto your roof, slide down due to the wind start clogging up your gutters. In order to fix this, make sure you hire someone that is capable of safely climbing the ladder up to your gutters so they can use a stick or specialised tool to clear the cutters out. This will ensure they don't get clogged and also guarantee that there are no nasty things laying in the gutters. You can also do this yourself by looking at gutter cleaning guides, or you can choose to hire a professional that understands your situation


Clean up the Garden

Your garden is one of the main culprits for dead leaves and plants. Sweep them up, pile them up then consider using them as compost. If your garden is surrounded by trees then this may take longer than you would expect. Sweep all the debris and dead leaves then prepare your garden for winter. If you have any furniture or appliances out in the garden then you’ll want to pack them up as well so they get out of the way. Stow your lawn mower away, get all the tools back into the shelf and consider moving your garden furniture into the garage or your own home for a little while. Take a look at this article from BHF.org.uk for some excellent winter gardening tips.

Reverse Ceiling Fans

Most people don’t realise that the two settings on their ceiling fans are for winter and summer. The summer one pushes air down to create a unique breeze-like cooling effect. However, in winter, a switch is flicked either on a remote or the ceiling fan itself. The switch swaps the direction the ceiling fan is spinning so it pushes the air upwards instead of down. By swapping the direction it spins, the ceiling fan draws cold air upwards and essentially lifts it away from your home.This is great if you have large rooms and it can assist in saving you plenty of money on electricity bills. As mentioned already, there are many people that don’t know this about their own ceiling fans and it can actually be a cheap and effective way to reduce your heating bills. It’s certainly not as effective as heating or air conditioning, but it doesn’t require much of an effort to use.

Get Emergency Numbers Ready

If you find yourself struggling with power or electricity during the cold months then make sure you write down the phone numbers of important emergency services. This can include your local electrician or gas supplier. The idea is to have their phone numbers ready so they can quickly respond to your emergencies no matter what time of day or night it is. Keep in mind that not every supplier of energy or gas has a 24-hour emergency system, so make sure you look it up before you trust those numbers in an emergency.

Seal Drafts with Caulk

Small gaps can always appear in your home that left in drafts. Whether they’re caused by rodents or other forms of damage to your property, it’s never a bad idea to find them. You can do this by sitting near areas where you feel a breeze then sealing it with a caulk gun. Some common sources of drafts are in knee walls, attics, recessed lights or even the wiring in your home. Check these locations first to determine if you’re actually suffering from a draft. If you don’t find anything, then it might just be from your windows, in which cause a caulking gun can come in handy to seal the breeze. Check out this useful article from PopularMechanics.com to learn more about how to save money by sealing drafts in your home.

If you leave the winter preparations too late then you’ll find yourself getting colder and also more frustrated when a crucial appliance breaks. Just remember that it’s never too early to prepare for winter. The earlier you prepare, the easier your journey will be.

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