Are you ready for winter?
There are lots of steps you can take now to make sure you are prepared when it comes to looking after yourself and your home when the colder weather hits.
What can you do to prepare?
Check your boiler - Make sure to check that your boiler is working properly. Does it turn on ok? Are your radiators getting hot from top to bottom? Make sure to check your thermostat and if your heating still isn’t coming on, get in touch with our Customer Hub to report this.
Heat your home evenly and ventilate - In cold weather, the best way to keep rooms warm and avoid condensation is to keep low background heat on for the majority of the day if you can, rather than having short bursts of high heat. This maintains an even temperature and avoids cold surfaces. If you are unable to heat your home for long periods of time, it is important that you manage moisture by increasing the ventilation of air within your home through extractor fans and opening windows. More information on avoiding damp and mould is available here and information on help with heating costs can be found here.
Check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms - Check that your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working correctly. You can do this by pressing the button and waiting to hear the beep. If you have an issue with these, please report this to us. If you don’t have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted in your home, please contact us to arrange for one to be fitted.
Clear walkways - At this time of year the weather can be against us when it comes to slips and falls – to try and avoid these it’s a really good idea to clear any leaves from your pathway on a regular basis.
Keep draughts at bay - A great way to be more effective with heating your home can be to stop the heat escaping. Simple items like draught excluders for doors can make all the difference! Also be sure to close your curtains. Plenty of heat can escape through windows, but simply closing curtains before it gets dark can retain the warmth in your home.
Drains and gutters - To stop blockages, it’s recommended you check your drains and gutters on a regular basis to make sure they aren't blocked; this helps prevent water damages such as mould and damp, along with leaks, too. Please report blocked or broken gutters to us.
Gas appliances - Your safety is a top priority and so we have a programme in place to safety check and service all our gas appliances in your home. Please allow access for these checks to take place. This is a legal requirement and is monitored closely by the Regulator of Social Housing.
Reporting issues
Please report any emergency including gas heating or hot water problems to our Customer Hub, during working hours the quickest was is via Chatbot or you can do this any time during office hours by telephone. You can also log non-urgent repairs jobs that need doing via our MyPlace customer portal, and for certain non-urgent repairs you will be able book an appointment slot at a time that suits you.
You can find further winter readiness tips on our dedicated web page, including how to deal with frozen pipes, ways you can heat your home more effectively, and advice to help you stay well and look out for friends and neighbours.