It's about to get very cold!
With temperatures dropping to -1 this weekend, it’s a good time to start preparing your home for the months of winter weather heading our way. We’ve carried out some research and put together some helpful tips on how you can get your home winter-ready, help the environment and save some money too.
Clear Gutters and Drains
Debris such as leaves and moss can block drains and gutters causing leaks in the roof and walls. Clean and maintain gutters and downpipes to keep water flowing during the winter.
Get Your Boiler Checked
Having no central heating over the winter period is the last thing you want to be dealing with. The Register for Gas Installers in Ireland (RGII) states that your gas boiler needs to be serviced once a year, as recommended by the manufacturers, to ensure that it is operating efficiently and safely.
Sweep the Chimney
If you have a chimney, it’s important to maintain it. Many of us underestimate the severity of chimney fires and therefore forget about cleaning out the chimney. But chimney fires can occur fairly frequently during the winter months. If you have a chimney you don't use but you don't want to board it up, you can use a chimney balloon. One of these should cost under €30 - they're easy to inflate and will last for years.
Insulate, insulate, insulate!
Get insulation
Typically, you can save near €200 per year on your energy bills by having insulation installed, according to the SEAI. Around a quarter of heat in your house is lost through the roof, so insulating the loft is a good place to begin. Cavity wall insulation is also worth considering.
Insulate your attic
Did you know that 30% of heat is lost through your roof? A well-insulated attic is the best way to increase your home’s energy efficiency and the cheapest place to start. Poor attic insulation can lead to damp spots in your house, higher bills and health problems. Keep the heat in this winter, the doctor at bay and get a €400 grant towards your attic insulation. By insulating the attic and walls, you can save up to €600 per year on heating bills. (Source: SEAI).
Simple solutions:
Use heavier curtains
Around 40% of the heat escaping from your home is from uncovered windows.
Bleed your radiators
Bleeding radiators regularly will help keep your home warm. Air can get into the system and prevent it from being filled with water. Bleeding the radiator releases the trapped air.
Turn the thermostat for your living areas down to 20°C.
The temperature in hallways and bedrooms should be cooler, ideally between 15-18°C. You can reduce your heating bill by 10% by lowering your room temperature by just one degree. (Source: SEAI).
If you need a hand to get your home winter-ready, contact us to see how we can help. We offer competitive rates, with flexible terms & conditions tailored to your needs. With loans available from €100 to €80,000* we have rates and terms to suit everyone!
*Borrow up to €80,000 if the loan is fully covered by credit union savings, borrow up to €60,000 if the loan is not fully covered by savings. Loans are subject to approval. Terms & conditions apply.
