FIGHT THE FREEZE: WINTER-PROOF YOUR HOME

Winter is here, so make sure your home is prepared and ready for the chilly months ahead. Follow these useful tips to make sure your home is ready, inside and out, for the colder temperatures.

INSULATION IS KEY
One of the most basic, yet often forgotten, things to do when getting ready for winter is to check the windows and doors in your home for draughts. Make sure that every door and window are insulated and there are no air leaks, well ahead of winter. If need be, add thicker curtains to your windows to help keep out the chilly air.

CLEAN OUT THOSE GUTTERS
Make sure all your gutters are free of debris. Leaves and sticks can cause water to back up in your gutters and result in leaks and damage. This will be expensive to repair, particularly if water leakshave occurred or the damage has extended to other parts of the roof.

DO NOT LITTER
Rubbish and litter blocks drains and sewers, worsening flooding in the rainy season. Instead of littering and illegal dumping, throw your trash in the bin or in plastic bags to put out when waste is collected.

INSPECT TREE BRANCHES
Scan your property for branches growing over the house, garage, driveway, or power lines. During a storm, those could come down and cause major damage. Branches rubbing together can also lead to breakage. If the tree belongs to the municipality, you can contact the Langeberg call centre to inspect.

PREPARE YOUR FIREPLACE
If you’ve got a fireplace, start gathering a few piles of wood. You can store the wood in your garage or outdoor storage cupboards, away from the elements. Also, make sure that your chimney is cleaned out. Once the chill hits, you should be fully stocked with wood and ready for warm, cosy nights by the fire.

COVER YOUR GEYSER
The water temperature of a geyser decreases by 1ºC every hour. Therefore, energy is used up to preserve the warmth of the geyser. A geyser blanket prevents against the excess loss of heat. This enables the geyser to keep water hot for a longer period.

GET COSY
Adding rugs to your lounge and bedroom areas is not only comfortable underfoot but also creates warmth within rooms. A winter throw or a warm blanket in the lounge can be particularly handy to huddle under, on frosty winter nights. Next, it’s time to bring out the winter bedding and extra blankets for your bedrooms.

INSPECT AND SERVICE FIRE SAFETY SYSTEMS
Fire safety systems, including fire alarms and sprinkler systems, need to be inspected and serviced before or at the start of the winter months. This includes checking for any damage, cleaning the systems, and ensuring they’re in good working condition.

INSPECT THE ROOF
Your roof is another important part of your home, and you need to ensure that it’s in good condition before the winter season. Inspect the roof for any leaks, loose or damaged shingles, and any other signs of wear and tear.

BRING YOUR PETS INDOORS
If you have pets, bring them indoors. If you cannot bring them inside, provide adequate shelter to keep them warm and make sure they have access to unfrozen water.

To avoid potential last-minute issues, it’s always better to start preparing early. Following this winter home checklist, you can ensure that your property is ready for the colder months ahead and looking great heading into Spring.