As we approach the colder months, the changing weather can cause damage to your home. However, with a few easy steps you can prepare for the chillier months ahead.
Bleed your radiators
After a few months out of action, you may find your radiators are cold at the top and hot at the bottom. To make sure you’re getting the most out of your heating (and money), bleed your radiators.
Before starting, have an old cloth and a bleed key ready, and make sure the heating is off. There should be a valve on the radiator, usually at the top, and you need to turn this until you hear a hissing sound. Use the cloth to catch any liquid that comes out of the radiator and as soon as only water starts coming out, turn the valve key again.
Find your stopcock
It’s important to know where your stopcock is so you can stop water flowing into your home in the event of a burst pipe. Your stopcock is usually found under your kitchen sink. But it may also be near the boiler, under the stairs, or on an outside wall. You should be able to turn it to shut the water supply on or turn it on.
Keep your heating on a timer
If you’re planning to be away and the weather is set to fall, set your heating to come on with a timer setting. This could prevent the water in your pipes freezing if it gets really cold, which could lead to burst pipes or flooding.
How to deal with a frozen water pipe
- Turn your water supply off at your stopcock
- Turn all your cold taps on to drain the system, and leave them on
- Do not open hot taps, as the hot water cylinder may be damaged if the pipes feeding it are frozen and it becomes empty whilst still switched on. To deal with hot water:
- Turn off the central heating boiler and immersion heater, if you have one, or let any solid fuel fire with a back boiler die down
- Then open the hot water taps, collecting the water in the bath for washing and flushing the toilet
If you’d like any advice or assistance on any of this, including how to find your stopcock or how to bleed your radiators, please get in touch and our maintenance team will be happy to help.