Winter Tips Estuary Housing Association

Winter Tips Keep your home comfortable Our handy guide to hints and tricks that will keep you cosy during winter!

It’s that time of the year: mornings are misty, nights are bitter, and your house can start to feel the winter weather strain.

Whilst Axis and your Landlord are working together to make your home as comfortable and safe as possible, there are plenty of inexpensive hints and tricks that will keep you cosy during winter.

1. Draught Excluders Cracks, gaps and cold winter snaps do not mix well. In fact, a house can lose 25% of its warmth through draughty doors and windows. Draught excluders are widely available for under £10 and can be attached to the bottom of doors, windows, letterboxes and chimneys.

What you’ll need: 3 Draught excluder (for the specific application e.g. window draught excluder) 3 Scissors How to fit a draught excluder: You’ll find that self-adhesive foam strips of draught excluder are inexpensive and easy to fix in place. They’re ideal for using on casement windows and interior doors.

Use a damp cloth to clean all dirt and any loose paint from the surface you’re sticking to. Once dry, peel off the backing paper and press it onto the frame, where the opening will press against it when the window or door is closed.

You should aim to cut the ends of each length at a 45-degree angle in order to form a neat joint at each corner. Close the window and press the strip firmly in place.

Some draught excluders require drilling in place. But, always consult with your landlord before drilling into a door or window as you may cause damage. Do not block ventilation designed to remove damp from your home.

2. Radiator Foil/Reflector Prevent heat loss through exterior walls by using heat reflective foil. Attach it behind any radiator to reflect heat back into the house.

This low-cost and easy-to-install solution will help your radiators heat to their maximum potential.

What you’ll need: 3 Radiator foil (also known as radiator reflector) 3 Scissors 3 Tape measure

3. Pipe Insulation/ Lagging Insulate your pipework. Pipes need to be protected in winter to prevent freezing and bursting. The most cost-effective way of achieving this is a foam lagging/cover.

What you’ll need: 3 Pipe Insulation (also known as lagging) 3 Scissors or Stanley Knife 3 Tape measure

How to fit Radiator Foil: This job can be made easier by purchasing the correct size for your radiator. However the sheet you buy can also be cut to size.

Radiators fixed to exterior walls, where heat can escape, should be priority. Measure between the brackets fixing the radiator to the wall, apply self-adhesive tape (normally supplied) and ensure the silver side is pointing into the room.

Not suitable for element or flame heaters How to fit Pipe Lagging: Buying the correct size of insulation is important, so measure your pipe’s width and the length you need to cover. Simply use the pre-slit opening to slide it around the pipe.

If your pipe has a bend, cut the insulation to ensure a close, tight join.

Don’t forget unheated areas like the garage or boiler room, where covering the pipes will keep hot water flowing properly throughout winter. Lagging costs around £10 but will save you more and requires no expert fitting.

4. Defrosting Pipes

6. Chimney Issues Open or unused chimneys are readymade escape routes for heat to flow out of your house. Snow or ice can crack and crumble mortar inside a chimney, leaving more space for air to leak out.

If any pipework freezes, act quickly to stop it bursting, especially the condensate pipe, the small plastic one coming out of your boiler. If it freezes, you may be left without heating or hot water.

What you’ll need: 3 Hot water bottle or Towel soaked in hot water How to defrost a pipe: You can thaw frozen pipes using hot water bottles or towels soaked in hot water. Do not use naked flames, as you can damage the pipes. Do not pour hot water on the pipes, as this will freeze around the pipes when it cools.

5. Heating Thermostat and Timer

Use a thermostat and timer to save energy.

Keep the heating on a low constant temperature while you’re out of the house to keep the system running smoothly, we recommend 17-19°C. Once you’re home, 19-22°C is the norm.

If you have a routine, setting your timer will do the work for you and save both money and energy.

You could fit a cap over the chimney pot on the roof. However, this should be done by a professional. A chimney balloon, which blocks the airway, can be bought from any DIY store for around £15 and is easy to install yourself.

What you’ll need: 3 Chimney balloon (also known as a Chimney Draft Excluder) 3 Tape measure

How to fit a Chimney Balloon: An inflatable Chimney Balloon will fit a range of sizes, but as chimneys vary so much you need to purchase an appropriate size system, so measure first.

The Chimney Balloon should fit snugly and be somewhere you can easily reach with the pump or mouth inflation tube. Make sure the tap is open and pump some air into the balloon so that it starts to inflate. Once it is partially inflated, put it in position to inflate it fully.

If you have a cast iron fire surround make sure you can push it through the small gap before positioning it in the chimney to fully inflate.

7. Stopcock / Stop Tap

8. Clear your Gutters

Ensure you know where your stop tap/ stopcock is in case of emergencies.

If you can do so safely, clear your gutters of leaves and debris to ensure water can flow freely. Otherwise, the water may build up and freeze, risking moisture and damp creeping through cracks and damaging the roof or walls.

If your central heating is damaged by poor weather, you need to turn off the water mains to stop potential flooding.

To do this, you need to find the stopcock or stop tap, a valve that looks like a tap without a spout, which is normally found under the sink.

If that isn’t the case, check the cupboard under the stairs or any utility rooms. Turn the tap clockwise to shut off water.

It’s a good idea to turn the tap regularly to stop it from sticking

9. Condensation

You are less likely to air your property in the winter and the temptation is to close or block ventilation to prevent draughts. However, this can cause condensation – the resulting damp and moisture can start to rot wooden surfaces and cause mould.

Wipe off any moisture regularly to avoid damage and keep the property ventilated.

All information in this booklet is for guidance only. Axis Europe PLC and your Landlord accept no responsibility for any injury you may incur or any damage to property caused by undertaking the tips in this booklet. You are advised to always have appropriate household insurance cover. If you need help organising this contact your Landlord.

Ways to get in touch

Call us on 0300 304 5000 or visit us at estuary.co.uk info@estuary.co.uk estuaryha estuary_ha