Prepare your home for winter

We’re starting to feel the cool here Brisbane. The mornings and evenings are feeling slightly fresh, and the weekend trips to the beach are becoming a distant summer memory. As we opt to stay warm indoors, there are some things you may want to pay attention to around the home to prepare for a cosy and relaxing winter.

Check your windows and doors

Damaged seals or poor ventilation can lead to some heat loss throughout winter. If your seals have perished over time, they could not only be letting cool air in but also start to accumulate moisture and mould. By checking your door and window seals you could save money on your power bills when you start using heating systems. Having shutters, blinds or curtains are another good way to let the heat in and keep it in. Leave them open during a sunny day to let the sunlight in and close them at night.

Clean your gutters

If guttering is not regularly cleared and debris accumulates it leads to blockages and leaks in your guttering system and blocks your drains. Water can then leak into your roof and overflow your drains if enough builds up in a storm or heavy rain. Have them cleared properly or they could lead to very expensive and frustrating repairs.

Have your hot water system serviced

Don’t get caught in a freezing cold shower, in the midst of winter, when all plumbers are out fixing other people’s hot water for suffering the same issue! Get it checked now, and avoid being left in a panic, or worse getting sick because you’re taking freezing cold showers! A plumber can make sure that everything is working, and will continue to work. Things like corrosion, pressure, temperature settings and other wear and tear issues may cause you some problems and it’s best not to get caught out at the wrong time.

Check Smoke alarms

This is something that you should be doing regularly to prevent tragic house fires. It’s important to check smoke alarms every quarter, but especially in winter as your use of appliances, electric heaters, burners and other potentially flammable items increases. Check the batteries if you have battery-operated alarms. Better yet, get up to date with the new legislative requirements and have photoelectric, hardwired smoke alarms installed by a licensed electrician to ensure your family’s safety for many more winters and years to come. Find out more about the smoke alarm legislation

Service your air conditioner

Did you know that split system air conditioners are actually the most cost-effective and energy-efficient ways to heat your home? Some reverse cycle air conditioners can be up to 65% cheaper to run than conventional electric heaters.*

Make sure that your unit has had a filter clean and serviced after summer so that it can run at maximum efficiency and keep you warm in winter.

Prepare your pool

While not in as much use as it would be in summer, neglecting your pool maintenance can cause more expensive and frustrating problems later on. Make sure you are checking pH levels, chlorine or salt levels, clean the pumps and filter and keep the pool covered to prevent debris and external contaminants. You can still enjoy your pool in winter with a pool heater. There are plenty of options including gas, heat pumps or even solar.

*Daikin reverse cycle air conditioners compared to medium to large-sized conventional electric heater.

Running cost estimates are for heating only. Running costs are estimates only and will depend on the actual usage, model, size and efficiency of the heater. The comparison is based on a heat output of approximately 2.5kW. Air conditioner running cost is based on the efficiency of air conditioners currently available. Older air conditioners may have higher costs.