Getting your home ready for winter

It’s that time of year again, the weather is getting colder, so we start putting the heating! 

Here are some hints and tips to get your home winter ready!

Adjusting the temperature

During winter, the Energy Saving Trust recommends that your heating should be set to between 18 degrees and 21 degrees centigrade. Try seeing what temperature is comfortable for you and increase it if needed.

Check your radiators

Once the heating is on, give it a few minutes to start working. Then check each radiator to see if it is getting warm. If not, then your heating may need attention, below are some common problems and possible quick fixes that you can do.

Common problems

• Radiator cold spots - If you notice cold spots at the top of your radiator, it might need bleeding. We advise that you get in touch with us if you notice these.
• Pressure loss - Gas combi boilers are pressurised, so your boiler needs to be around 1 to 1.5 bar. Check the pressure gauge, if the pressure is lower than this, it may need re-pressuring. If you notice low pressure, you get in touch with our contractors, Liberty on 0330 333 8384.
• Time settings - Your thermostat & timer might be set to come on at a specific time. On warmer days you can turn the thermostat down. This stops your heating from coming back on during a cooler spell. If your boiler does not automatically come back on when you’d expect it to, check the thermostat has been turned back up.

Tips for winter

• Boilers can sometimes stop working if they are not used regularly. We recommended that you turn your central heating on for at least one hour, every day throughout winter to make sure it continues to run smoothly. 
• The water in your outside pipes can freeze in very cold weather. This can stop the boiler working and even causes pipes to burst. If this happens, you can try to gently thaw the pipe with warm water.

When to ask for help

If you have followed the above advice and you are still unable to get your central heating working, then please call Liberty on 0330 333 8384.

Also remember, each year, Liberty will do a check to make sure your boiler is safe and working efficiently. It’s important that you answer their calls and let them into your home to do this