6 Home Hacks to Get Ready for Autumn | Glaze & Save
Our
optimism over the potential for a Scottish summer is sadly waning, so we set
our sights towards the autumn and consider the various things that we need to
do to get our houses in order. Making preparations now can often be cheaper and
less hassle than waiting until deepest darkest winter, so be the early bird who
catches the worm and check out our tips to get your home ready for autumn.
1. Check for draughts. Draughts often feel like less of an issue in the summer months when winders are calmers and warmers. But you’ll soon remember them come the autumn! Feel for draughts around windows, doors, pipes, electrical sockets and any other area that could be a source of unwanted air flow. Try using a lit candle in front of the source of potential draughts: if it flickers, you could well have a draught. Treat your draught problems with an innovative bespoke solution such as Glaze & Save InvisiSeal: a completely non-invasive draught proofing solution that you’ll barely be able to see.
2. Check you thermostat. It’s a fact of life that we want our homes to be warmer in the autumn and winter, but that doesn’t mean that we need to have it heating blazing 24/7. Ensure that your thermostat is programmed to a lower temperature at night (trust us, you will sleep better for it) and at a lower temperature still for when you’re not home (or better still, programme it to be off while you’re out of the house and to turn on one hour before you get home). This ensures that you will always have a warm and cosy house, but you are not wasting energy and money by heating an empty house.
3. Stock up on firewood. For those with wood burning stoves and biomass boilers, now is the time to stock up on the firewood that you’ll need for autumn and winter. Why? Because you’ll likely need much more than you think (especially for those with biomass boilers) and in many cases your wood will need to be dried out. Gather it up now while it’s drier and keep stored in a covered area, away from your home for safety reasons.
4. Check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Our desire to be cosy on cold fall days means fires (both gas and wood) will be blazing. It’s therefore worth checking out your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are in working order, making any adjustments and replacing batteries as required.
5. Get your dehumidifiers up to scratch. Spending more time indoors, drying laundry indoors, basically just hibernating for several months will create much more moisture than normal in your home, which can lead to damp and condensation. Clean the inside of your dehumidifier, replace old filters if necessary, and make sure that they are in perfect working order to prepare for increased home time in the coming months.
6. Get your glazing in order. If you are living with single glazed windows, you might be dreading the coming autumn (and worse yet, the winter). Consider a secondary glazing solution such as Glaze & Save InvisiTherm: our polycarbonate systems reduce heat loss through your windows by 63%, instantly draughtproofs windows and can increase the temperature of your rooms by five degrees.
