Home Is Where the Draught Is

“Just a few simple changes to your home will make sure you and your family are comfortable and warm during the winter months”, according to Paul Taylor from Taylor’s First National Real Estate.

Surviving the cold winter months means more than just pulling on a woolly jumper and scarf. There are many things you can do around the house to make the cold months a little more bearable.

To lower gas bills and make sure your home retains heat during the winter, there are a few things you can do to improve efficiency when heating your home:

• Rearrange your furniture to assure all heating vents are clear. Keep seating areas away from outside walls so you do not feel drafts while you relax.
• Have your heating system checked annually by registered engineers. Faults or leaks will cause great heat loss to your home. Make sure you check filters and ducts regularly
• Check the seals on window and door architraves. An extra squirt of silicone can seal gaps and reduce heat loss. Install automatic closers on doors. These measures will stop cold draughts from allowing heat to escape from your home during winter.
• Adding insulation to floors, walls and ceilings will ensure minimal heat loss. This is particularly useful for weatherboard homes, or those not made from brick.
• Close curtains in the early evening to help retain heat. Exposed glass leads to rapid heat loss.
• Close off under-utilised parts of your home so you only heat the required areas.
• Limit the use of kitchen and bathroom ventilation fans. These are vented to the outside of your house and will also expel heated air from your home.

If you want to keep warm by doing things around the home, winter can also be used as a time for preparing your house for Spring and Summer.

• If you like to garden, it is not too late to put in some extra bulbs that will become beautiful flowers in Spring, improving the presentation and value of your home.
• If you are landscaping the garden of a new home and planting trees, consider deciduous trees for the north facing side of your house. The bare trees will allow the sun to warm the house in winter, while shading it in summer.
• Mulching any exposed garden beds will also make the most of winter rain.

Issued by: First National Real Estate
For further information Paul Taylor from Taylor’s First National Real Estate, on 8264 2223