NG2 December/January 2020

Get Cosy
this Christmas...
With Christmas around the corner,
now is a good time to think about
getting your home ready for winter.
No-one wants to be sitting down for
Christmas dinner without any heating
or hot water.
So what can you do to make your
home warm and cosy at Christmas?
BOILER & CENTRAL
HEATING
If your boiler hasn’t been serviced
regularly then now could be the
time to start. British Gas and many
other energy companies offer a
Homecare package that you can opt
to pay for monthly. Many plumbers
also offer a boiler service for about
£60. It’s worth shopping around and
seeing what your options are.
Currently, the big energy providers
are offering to replace your broken
or faulty boiler with a brand-new
energy-efficient one. You don’t
need to be on benefits to access
this money. You will need to pay
a contribution of £240. Be quick
though before all of the grant money
runs out!
DRAUGHTS
They are one of those annoying
things that can really have a
noticeable effect on the temperature
inside your house. If you have any
gaps in windows, doors, floors and
other junctions, it’s a good idea
to get them filled. Depending on
where they are, you can either do
this yourself or get a handyperson in
to do this for you.
Sausage dog draught excluders
are also a cheap option for doors.
Lining curtains and drawing them
in the evenings will also help keep
that precious heat in.
CHIMNEYS
Is your chimney open? If you don’t
use a fire then you could be losing a
lot of heat up the chimney. You can
buy a chimney balloon for £15 from
DIY shops. There is also a product
called Chimney Sheep which is a
breathable insulation. Remember,
your chimney needs to breathe.
If you block it up completely, you
should still ensure that there is an air
vent. You want to encourage warm
air from the room to be sucked up
through the chimney to get rid
of any moisture and dampness.
Even though your chimney may be
capped at the top, it should still have
a vent to enable air to escape.
FLOORS
Chances are, if your home is not
a new-build, the floor may not
be insulated. Most houses have a
suspended timber floor, which can
be draughty and make your room
feel very cold.
Depending on how easy it is to
access, you might want to consider
insulating this. If you can’t access
underneath the floor, then removing
the existing floor boards will be time
consuming and costly. However, if
you do insulate then fill between
the joists with Kingspan insulation.
Don’t insulate over the joists,
unless you plan to use wood-fibre
insulation. Check that your airvents
around the property are also
clear to ensure adequate airflow.
When timber gets wet, it will start to
rot and/or you may get woodworm.
If you are planning on having a new
carpet and don’t want to pull your
floor boards up (or you have a solid
concrete floor), then you can install
a thin layer of insulation before you
install your carpet and underlay.
Speak to your local carpet shop,
or you can buy a pack at B&Q to
lay yourself. This will help seal the
drafts and give you some respite
from the cold air beneath your feet.
LOFT & CAVITY-WALL
INSULATION
You can lose up to a quarter of the
heat in your home through your
uninsulated loft. By installing at least
270mm of mineral fibre insulation,
you could save up to £300 per year.
The large energy companies offer
an ECO grant (Energy Companies
Obligation Scheme). If you are on
benefits, you may qualify for free
loft and cavity wall insulation.
HELP WITH FUEL COSTS
The government provide a oneoff
tax free Winter Fuel Payment
between £100 and £300. If you are
eligible, you should have received a
letter from the government, telling
you how much you will get. In
very cold weather, you may also be
eligible for Cold Weather Payments.
The large energy companies also
offer a Warm Home Discount.
Check with your energy company to
see if you qualify as you may get a
£140 rebate.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Make sure you do some general
maintenance on your property, or
get someone in to help. So if the
gutter looks leaky, it’s probably
a good idea to get it repaired or
replaced before it gets any worse and
you have water entering your home.
So start on those niggly jobs now,
to make sure you have a cosy
Christmas.
Matt Turner RIBA
Squid Architects