Winter Is Coming: How to Prepare Your Home

The best time to prepare for winter is before the first cold snap. A few simple checks now can help you spot a slow boiler fault, an underperforming radiator or vulnerable pipework while you still have time to deal with it calmly, rather than on the coldest evening of the year.

Start with your boiler

Switch the heating on for a short test run, even if you are not ready to use it every day. Listen for unusual banging, gurgling or whistling, check whether the display shows an error code, and look for any visible drips beneath the boiler. If your boiler is due its annual service, booking it before winter is a sensible way to check that it is operating safely and efficiently.

Give every radiator a quick check

• Turn the heating on and check that each radiator warms up across the whole panel.
• If a radiator is cold at the top, it may need bleeding. If it is cold at the bottom, sludge may be restricting the flow.
• Make sure radiator valves turn freely and that furniture or curtains are not trapping heat.
• If several rooms heat unevenly, it may be worth asking us about balancing, a system flush or smarter heating controls.

Protect pipes before temperatures drop

Frozen pipes can quickly become burst pipes. Locate your stopcock so you know how to turn the water off in an emergency, and make sure it is accessible. Insulate exposed pipework in lofts, garages, cupboards against outside walls and other cold areas. If you are going away, do not leave the heating completely off during freezing weather, a low background temperature is usually safer for the system.

Set your controls for real life

Take five minutes to review your thermostat schedule before winter begins. Set the heating around when the home is actually occupied, and test that the thermostat is communicating with the boiler. If the controls are old, confusing or inconsistent, a smart thermostat can make daily heating easier to manage and help avoid warming an empty home.

Could funding help with a longer-term upgrade?

There is no general government grant for a like-for-like gas boiler replacement. However, support may be available if you are considering a broader energy-efficiency upgrade or switching away from fossil-fuel heating. The right scheme and eligibility depend on your home, income, postcode and the work proposed, always check the official guidance before making plans.

• Boiler Upgrade Scheme: homeowners and businesses in England and Wales may be able to get an upfront grant towards an eligible heat pump or biomass boiler. It is not a grant for a replacement gas boiler, and applications are made through an MCS-certified installer.
• Warm Homes: Local Grant: households in England on a low income, certain benefits or in qualifying postcode areas may be able to receive council-arranged improvements. Subject to funding and a home survey, these can include insulation, heat pumps and smart controls.
• ECO4: this Great Britain energy-efficiency obligation runs until 31 December 2026. Availability and the measures offered vary, so check with your energy supplier, local authority or an approved provider rather than relying on a verbal promise.

When it is worth booking Gaswork Solutions

A pre-winter visit is particularly worthwhile if your boiler has been losing pressure, making a new noise, showing a fault code, or if your radiators have cold spots. We can service and diagnose boilers, repair radiators and heating controls, investigate plumbing concerns, install magnetic filters and carry out system flushing where a system needs it. You will get clear advice on what is needed before any work starts.

Keep the important numbers handy

For a boiler, heating or plumbing issue, you can contact Gaswork Solutions on 07825 555450. If you smell gas, treat it as an emergency: if it is safe, turn off the supply at the meter, open doors and windows, avoid flames or electrical switches, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.