Christmas Is Nearly Here & So Is a Very Cold Winter, Are You Ready?

Christmas is just around the corner, and that means one thing, it's about to get very cold, and with the changes in weather continuing every year, there are plenty of commentators that expect this winter to be freezing.

With that in mind, it's time to wrap up and think about keeping your house warm in those dark nights.

There are some key things you can check to make sure your house is prepared for the cold days and nights that are coming, so keep reading to get our advice.

Check Your Windows

When was the last time you checked your windows? ­

Check your windows is one of the easiest ways to reduce the cold weather entering your home, and sealing the leaks around your windows and doors can is a simple task that will help reduce the cold.

Check the windows and doors from the outside and inside and seal where necessary. This is especially good if you don't have double glazing or have double glazing that is very old.

Look for noticeable gaps and holes and use some smoke to find the smaller holes. We have found that using an incense stick is a great idea, but please don't walk around your house with a flame; that is just dangerous.

It is the cheaper alternative to buying new doors and new windows and if sealed correctly can save you lots of money at the same time as keeping warm.

Have you ever heard of the UK government green Eco grants we touch on this in greater detail below in relation to boiler grants.  

However, in some instances, people do qualify for new double glazing under this ECO grant scheme, especially if your windows are single-glazed.

Below we have specified exactly the what the qualifying criteria is for one of these grants, so keep reading, and if you have single-glazed windows, you should qualify.

Checking Your Boiler

When was the last time you checked your boiler? When was the last time you have your boiler serviced?

There is nothing worse than going into a cold winter for your boiler to breakdown and being left without hot water and heating.

Before the real cold snap hits, make sure you get your boiler checked over.

If your boiler doesn't work, the government are offering a boiler grant. Under the government ECO scheme in 2022, qualifying homeowners could have their old in-efficient boilers replaced completely free of charge, or at the least, heavily subsidized via this government boiler grant.

The grant will be running until 2022, so there is still plenty of time to get your boiler replaced.

There are some qualifying criteria to qualify for the grant, so sadly, not everybody is going to qualify. 

The below is the qualifying criteria;

A permanent resident within the property needs to be receiving one of the following benefits;

• Child tax credit
• Child benefit
• Working tax credit]
• Disability living allowance
• Pension credit
• Job seekers allowance
• Universal credit
• Employment and support allowance

For more information on all these benefits, you can read the governments website (https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits)

There are additional criteria for each of the above. The most important of which is that the total household income amongst all working-age residents must not exceed the required maximum amount. 

This will vary according to the type of benefits being received and the number of adults and children living within the property. This figure was decided by the government as being low enough to qualify for funding assistance.

Secondly, the property must of a size to generate sufficient savings from installing such measures. Unfortunately, the resulting carbon savings generated from upgrading a boiler within a flat are not deemed significant enough to justify the funding required to cover such work.

Lastly, there must be an existing low-efficiency boiler within the property. All boilers are rated by their energy efficiency. Most modern units will work at around 90% efficiency (only losing 10% output when converting fuel to heat). A boiler installed around ten years ago will most likely be approximately 65-80% efficient. So, by upgrading this old boiler to a new one, the carbon savings will be significant enough to warrant the cost and, therefore, will qualify under the free boiler scheme.

Under the Governments's ECO grant scheme, you could also qualify for home insulation. The full grant is worth up to £5,000.00, so it's certainly worth exploring the grant in more detail.