Get Your Home Ready For Winter
It’s that time of year where summer seems like a distant memory, the days are short and cold with much more time spent indoors. With this, you want to be as comfortable as possible, so you need to make sure that you get your home ready for winter.
There are many different things you can do to prepare your home but these tasks may seem easy to put off until its too late.
That’s why we’re here to help, we have compiled a list of things you should do to get your home ready for winter.
Check your boiler and heater
Having no heating or hot water can be a real problem on bleak winter days, and all you can do to resolve it is a simple maintenance check.
Contact a gas safe registered company to get a certified engineer to make sure you’re not going to end up in any preventable issues when the winter really kicks in.
Look at our plumbing services here.
Secure your roof 
It’s important that your roof is secure enough to stand the winter onslaught. You should take the chance to check for loose tiles as heavy snow and strong winds can wreak havoc on an unprepared roof.
It may also be a good chance to think about changing your conservatory roof if you have one. The winter months may see your conservatory neglected but with a lightweight roof system, this can mean you can enjoy your conservatory all winter. Find out more about solid roof conservatory’s here.
Keep central heating on
To save money on your bills and avoid any frozen pipes it can be useful to keep your heating on a timer and set to low heat throughout the day. Rather than turning the heat up high when you feel cold, keep it an all-around warm temperature and reap the benefits.
Prepare your windows
This is not the time of year to be letting the elements in due to ill-prepared windows. If you’re experiencing drafts or condensation, it’s probably time to upgrade. Our windows are designed to make your home feel safe and comfortable.
Amongst our choice of windows, we also supply secondary glazing, which can be applied to your existing windows for increased energy efficiency and insulation.
Make sure your windows are prepared and check our range here!
Clear gutters
Be sure to keep gutters and downpipes clear from leaves, moss and other material that can cause blockages. If not, water can fracture pipes if it freezes in them or causes quicker deterioration of soaked wall faces in frosty conditions where gutters spill over. You want to make sure that water runs away from your house, so a blocked gutter can cause much more serious problems.
Winter is a time of year you want to be warm and enjoy the comforts of home, so keeping on top of these issues and making sure your home is in working order can prevent unexpected, unnecessary headaches. So all you need to do is sit back and relax and enjoy the comforts of winter.
- Published in Building, Conservatories, Home Improvements, Solid Roofs, Uncategorized, Windows
Tips for Converting Your Garage
There are many things you need to know when converting your garage. If your property has unused garage space, you may be asking yourself what you can do to maximise it. Your living space may be shrinking while your garage goes unused.
Garages tend to be less about storing your car and more about storing forgotten items. If this resonates with you, then converting your garage may be a good option so why not design and build a creative space or a warm and habitable room to add a unique touch to your home.
What type of Garage do you have?
Your conversion can differ depending on what type of garage you have. Your garage will fall into three categories;
- Attached
- Integral
- Detached
Attached and integrated garages are usually accessible from the house this makes a conversion easy whereas a detached garage may require planning permission as it’s a separate building. However, a good contractor can make any type of conversion run smoothly.
Different ideas for your conversion
When converting your garage, there are many different ideas that you could choose from for your conversion, such as;
- Another lounge
- An extra bathroom
- Children’s playroom
- A larger kitchen
- Home cinema
- Gym
- Office
If you are in the fortunate position to have a double garage you may even consider splitting the space, keeping one side for storage and the other as an extra living space.
Building a conversion to the highest standards can bring fantastic benefits to your home and choosing your options should be fun, practical and creative.
Benefits of a garage conversion
There are many benefits of a garage conversion and a significant one for when your garage is attached, is that there is existing structure meaning you don’t need new foundations, nor do you need to build new walls, many existing garages also have electricity wired in. With these factors this type of conversion can be a very cost-effective way to add space to your property and can even add value, a well-done garage conversion can add up to 10% onto the value of your home which may mean making a profit from your project.
What to consider
A conversion won’t always be straightforward and there may be some things that you need to consider. Such as when the external walls of an integral garage are comprised of a single course of bricks, as this can cause problems with insulation and weatherproofing. Your contractor will be able to advise you on all these issues, but there are many ways, around this, including the creation of an independent stud wall of the damp proof course. These types of problems need to be addressed to meet building regulations so as a result, any design must factor in;
- Moisture proofing
- Ventilation
- Insulation
- Fireproofing
- Structural soundness.
If you are working with the right contractor, then they will go through these issues with you and manage building regulation issues. If you’re looking for contractor help on converting your garage to a living space request a free estimate for your conversion needs.
- Published in Building, Home Extensions, Home Improvements, Solid Roofs, Uncategorized
Why choose a solid roof conservatory?
Just because summer is coming to an end, it doesn’t mean you have to stop using your conservatory. For many, the cold winters mean that their conservatory becomes too cold to use, but this no longer has to be the case. Solid roof conservatories mean that you can now start using your conservatory 365 days of the year. Below are our main reasons for choosing a solid roof conservatory.
Thermally efficient- A solid roof conservatory is much more thermally efficient than a glass or polycarbonate roof conservatory. A solid roof conservatory means that during the summer months, your conservatory will stay cooler and during the winter months the room will stay warmer. This means that you can use your conservatory 365 days of the year without having to increase your energy bills trying to keep your conservatory at an ideal temperature.
Creates extra living space that feels part of your home- With the vast designs of solid roofs available, you can choose a design that will match the rest of your home. The solid roof will make the conservatory feel like an extended part of your home, not as a separate addition.
Little or no maintenance required- An added bonus of solid roof conservatory is the limited amount of maintenance required to keep it clean compared to glass or polycarbonate roofs. Glass and Polycarbonate tends to hold algae and dirt quite easily and this will not be the case with a solid roof.
Noise reducing- Glass and polycarbonate roofs tend to be quite noisy, especially when its raining. A solid roof adds more insulation to your conservatory which means that you can reduce this noise significantly, creating a more relaxing atmosphere in your home whatever the weather
No need for expensive bespoke roof blinds- If privacy is what you are looking for, adding bespoke roof blinds to your conservatory can be a very expensive added cost. You can bypass this extra expenditure by adding a solid roof instead. This means that you will have much more privacy from neighbours looking into your conservatory. If you still want to have light coming into the conservatory you can opt to have velux roof windows installed into the solid roof, giving you the best of both worlds.
You can simply replace the roof- If you have a glass or polycarbonate roof conservatory in place, it is highly cost effective to replace the roof. It will make your current conservatory much more modern and new. You will have the feel of a brand new conservatory without the costs of building a brand new one.
A room you can use 360 days of the year- This is one of the main benefits in choosing a solid roof conservatory. It is much better insulated meaning you can make the most of your conservatory all year round.
- Published in Conservatories, conservatory ideas, Solid Roofs