As the shortest day looms closer and winter stamps its icy grip on the weather, we thought this week we might suggest a few small projects to help ward off the effects of the damp cold conditions.
1. Clear those gutters
It’s surprising how quickly gutters fill with debris, even if your house isn’t surrounded by deciduous trees. There are plenty of hose attachments you can buy to help clean the gutters, but some areas may require special access equipment. Our range of cherry pickers are ideal for safely cleaning gutters, and the two-hour option may be ideal for smaller jobs. Go to http://bit.ly/UHHCherryPckrs
2. Time for a Chimney clean
If you have an open fire or wood burner that hasn’t been serviced recently, a chimney clean will improve the flow of smoke and enhance the amount of heat the fire will produce. There’s also a safety aspect as well: incomplete combustion products such as creosote can also build up, and ignite, causing a chimney fire. This is definitely a job for the professionals.
3. Waterblast the paths
Concrete paths, particularly on the south side of the house, can build up dirt and grim. This becomes very slippery when wet, and can become a potential slipping hazard. While some of the cleaning products on the market will kill the moss and mould, they won’t remove the dirt. Water blasting can quickly remove the debris and leave a slightly porous concrete surface that is much more resistant to slips.
4. Seal up the gaps
The New Zealand format of a single pane of glass certainly isn’t the most heat efficient, and double glazing can be expensive. Heavy curtains are great As a compromise, we suggest working around the window joinery to seal out any gaps that may allow heat to escape. Mitre 10 and other hardware stores have some useful kits for sealing windows.
5. Clean the heaters
Regardless of whether you use an electric heater or a fan-forced gas heater, cleaning out any dust will improve their performance and reduce the risk of fire. A fine brush or blast of compressed air is ideal for removing most dust.
The best way to keep a home warm and dry over the long cold nights is to tackle the small winter projects before they become big ones.
