12 ways to get your home ready for winter

When the weather outside is frightful, here’s how you can stay cosy at home.

Home maintenance

5 November 2024

As well as cooler temperatures, in winter the UK typically sees more unsettled weather. And when there’s freezing rain and icy winds, it’s important to keep your home warm and dry. 

Here are 12 things you can do to make sure your home is prepared for whatever this winter has to offer:

Bleed your radiators

Heating’s on but your radiator is still cold? You might need to bleed your radiators to get them back to being toasty.

If you’ve never bled a radiator before – don’t worry, it’s not as gory as it sounds. It’s just about releasing trapped air bubbles to get rid of any cold spots in your radiators. All you’ll need is a radiator bleed key and a rag or cloth to catch any water that sprays out.

Give your oil tank a once over

Some homes – especially ones in the countryside – have their heating fuelled by an oil tank in the garden. If your home has an oil tank, it’s best to check it before the temperature drops.

If you spot a leak, you’ll need to act fast. With your Swiftcover Home Insurance policy, you’re covered for damage caused to your property by escape of oil1 – but the leak could be damaging to the environment and local wildlife, too.

Prepare your pipes

Frozen pipes can become burst pipes very quickly. And when they do, the damage can be devastating. Make sure you:

Need a professional to lend a hand? Check sites like Watersafe and Checkatrade to find local plumbers.

Get your heating serviced

When you turn your heating on after it’s been off for a while, you may find it doesn’t work as well as it used to – especially if your heating system is a little older. To maintain your boiler and heating:

  • Book a boiler service every year – or however often the manufacturer’s guidance says to. Your boiler should be serviced by a qualified gas engineer – make sure you ask to see their credentials. If you’re in a rental home, your landlord should be organising annual Gas Safety checks.
  • Some repairs might be covered by the manufacturer or supplier of your boiler/heating system. If you need a repair, check your warranty and call them first before speaking to your insurer. If your insurer sends someone to repair it, any warranty you have could be made invalid.
  • Boiler breakdowns aren’t covered by your Swiftcover home insurance. If your heating is making strange noises and your pipes are looking a little sludgy, you may need to arrange a de-scaling or ‘power flush’.

Get your chimney swept

Avoid chimney fires by hiring a chimney sweep to get rid of soot, birds nests, and blockages.

Check with the National Association of Chimney Sweeps to find a chimney sweep near you.

Prepare for power cuts

There’s been a lot of talk in the last few years about possible winter blackouts. Just in case there’s a power cut, why not prepare a box of supplies? You may want to include:

  • A torch – wind-up is best, but if yours is battery operated, make sure to pack some spares.
  • Candles and matches – these can give you light and heat. Just make sure you’re using them with a suitable candle stick or heatproof plate.
  • Blankets – one for each member of your household, if you can spare them.
  • A fully-charged power bank – to help you keep your mobile phone switched on.

The Met Office offer great advice for power cuts. Check out their article for tips on keeping your freezer colder for longer and how you can help elderly neighbours.

Pack up your garden furniture

By leaving them outside, your garden furniture will have to deal with high winds and plummeting temperatures over the winter. Parasols can take off, trampolines can get damaged, and spare plant pots cracked. If you’ve got somewhere secure to store them (like a shed or outhouse), put them away until you’re ready to use them again.

Check alarms and detectors

Test your smoke alarms, making sure you’ve got spare batteries handy if your alarm is battery-powered. 

If you’ve got gas heating, make sure your Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector is still working as it should. Most detectors are only built to last 5-10 years, so make sure you’re following manufacturer’s instructions and replacing them as needed.

Switch on flood alerts

The Met Office offer free flood warnings, which can let you know if your home’s at risk of flooding. They also offer a dedicated Floodline for England, Scotland and Wales:

+44 (0)345 988 1188

Give a health check to your roof and gutters

Blocked gutters can lead to rain seeping into places it shouldn’t be – like your walls and roof. Clearing them out (on a day that isn’t too windy) is a must. 

Whether you decide to do it yourself or call in the professionals, make sure gutters are free from debris, and check for leaks, breaks and rust. And while you’re at it, check your roof for loose tiles and slates, stray branches, and holes. Remember any gaps in your roof can let water in and heat out.

Take a look at your drains

From soap build up to leaf litter, there’s plenty of things that end up in our drains that can cause build-ups and blockages. Avoid flushing wet wipes down the toilet (even ones that say they’re ‘flushable’). Be sure to clean fallen hair out of your shower or bath, and keep your gutters clear for the best chance of avoiding blockages.

If your drains do get clogged up, call in a professional or try environmentally friendly enzyme sticks to get them flowing free. 

Ensure you’re insured

With Swiftcover, you can choose buildings and contents insurance together or separately. You can make claims online or over the phone, and there are a host of options to extend your cover to protect what matters to you most.

Already insured with Swiftcover? Make sure your details are up to date, and you’re covered for everything you’d expect – especially when it comes to your contents. You can check your cover anytime via your online account.

1 Subject to a valid claim, terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses apply.