Preparing Your Home for Winter

With the end of term nearing and many of you planning your exciting journeys back home for the Christmas period, the last thing on your mind will be to make sure your property is ‘winter ready.’ But were here to remind you the importance of a couple of things you should do before leaving, trust us, you will be thankful for it on your return.

Avoid Frozen or Burst Pipes
As we approach the winter season a drop in temperature is imminent. One of the most common occurrences in properties left empty during freezing temperatures are frozen pipes which can lead onto a burst pipe.

There are three options which will be your main defence for your property against the cold.

1.      Leave the heating on a low setting. This option is best of you are not leaving for too long and a minimum temperature of around 12°c should be sufficient.

2.      Set the heating on a timer to come on early in the morning and later in the night when temperatures are at their lowest.

3.      If you do not want to put the heating on while the property is unoccupied then the plumbing and heating systems in the house can be drained down. Without water in the pipes to freeze the chances of burst pipes are greatly reduced and if severe cold does damage pipes there would not be water damage caused while you are away and the ice defrosts. Draining the system down greatly reduces the risk of water damage but there could be water trapped in parts of the system and draining down is no guarantee, but any damage would be limited and as it may only become apparent when the system is up and running it is important to check and not to leave the property unattended.

Reduce Risk of Fire & Your Electric Bill
Take 5 minutes before you leave and unplug any electricals that do not need to be plugged in, NOT your fridge/freezer! This will keep your electric bill down for the month and avoid any risk of fire whilst your away.

Lock Doors & Windows
It goes without saying that you must ensure you have locked all doors and windows when leaving your property. Whilst Bangor generally has a very low crime rate, thief’s across the UK target student properties when they suspect a property is empty during the usual holiday periods, so avoid being an easy target!

Take Your Valuables With You
Following on from the previous point, take anything valuable or sentimental with you.

Clean
There is nothing worse than returning to a dirty house after time away. Have a quick tidy around your room, take your bins out (who knows what might have moved in whilst your gone), clean the toilet and put some fresh sheets on your bed. You’ll feel great and ready to hit the ground running on your return. 

If you are unsure of anything before you leave, or are concerned about something whilst your away, please contact our team who can assist you.
01248 35 35 44
students@dafyddhardy.co.uk