It’s amazing the difference small improvements can make to a property in terms of energy efficiency, especially during these harsh winter months. It’s never too late to make those changes in order to reap long term benefits…

by Market Prepare

• Draughts

Small gaps in doorways or along windowsills allow the winter chill to spread into the home, causing havoc to heating bills. Why not purchase some self-adhesive strips or a draught excluder? You’ll be able to pick these up from any noteworthy DIY store. If your windows are in serious disrepair then it may be worthwhile considering using a professional to draught proof and renovate. This would of course require a larger initial outlay but would certainly prove beneficial in the long term.

• Guttering

Having seen the autumn leaves falling in droves, it is important to keep your gutters clear as any blockages could lead to water backing up, spilling over and leaking into the roof and walls of the building. Disaster! Keep gutters free from any type of build-up blockage. Any reputable maintenance company or plumber will carry out a health check of your gutters. Or if you’re feeling up to it, get the ladders out the garage and take a look yourself. Don’t forget to get someone to foot your ladder!

‘Sean Rollo from Market Prepare hard at work’

• Boilers

A simple service can get your neglected boiler back up and working as close to maximum efficiency as possible. A service could highlight issues before it’s too late, saving you a lot of money in the long term. Why not double up a service with a gas safety inspection and be extra safe this winter?

• Radiators

If your radiators are cooler at the top than they are at the bottom then they could have contain trapped air. There are a few things you can do to solve this. From simply bleeding your radiators with a key, to power flushing the system or even fitting a magna clean to maintain the efficiency of the system. Any reputable plumbing and heating company will be able to provide advice around your options.

• Condensate

The condensate pipe on your boiler can be prone to freezing and if this happens it can cause the boiler to stop working. A condensate insulation kit will help avoid this nasty problem. Think of it as a body warmer for your condensate pipe – very cosy!

• Insulate

Did you know that on average over a quarter of the heat in a household is lost through the roof? Having a high quality, modern roof as well as wall and cavity insulation can go a long way in keeping those utility costs to a minimum. Although these can be viewed as costly improvements, with energy efficiency being a key topic in recent times, there are plenty of incentives and government schemes to help with the upfront cost. You’ll notice the savings in no time!

• Woodwork

Every winter, woodwork regularly takes a battering with water egress and frost penetration. This is purely due to bad maintenance, so why not catch it before your sills are past repair? Here’s a step-by-step guide to sill restoration; an easy way to save money on joinery bills after the winter months…

1. Source a ladder (and someone to hold the base for you), get yourself an old chisel or scraper and hold it flat to the timber so no sharp edges dig in. Slowly drag the chisel/scraper across the timber getting rid of any loose or flaky paint.
2. Don’t worry, there are various exterior fillers out there if you do accidentally dig in or if there are any indentations you would like to remove. We would recommend you use a two-part filler in this situation.
3. Get yourself a bit of 80 grit sand paper or try 60 grit if your sills are in a real need of sanding. The lower the grit number, the rougher the paper. Rub your sills down until your filler is smooth and there are no longer any rough edges.
4. Your sills are now fully prepared for painting. Use an exterior based primer followed by two coats of exterior undercoat and finish off with a gloss finish.