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Getting ready for Winter

As the bleak months of Winter approach there are a few important jobs that you should consider getting done to make sure you are warm and safe at home.

- Have your boiler serviced.

As the temperature drops it's important to be confident that your boiler is working well. There are plenty of companies who offer servicing and if you shop around you should be able to get it sorted for a reasonable price. Make sure you go for someone who is Corgi certified and get a couple of quotes before you commit yourself. It's always a good idea to ask around your friends and neighbours to see if they can recommend someone to you.

- Be prepared for a power cut.

Although power cuts happen less often nowadays they are a higher risk during the windy winter months. Make sure you know where your torch is and check the batteries are working. If possible store several torches around your home so you can get to one easily. If your heating or oven is electric try and have a back-up plan for heating and cooking in case of prolonged loss of power. It can be useful to have the contact details of your power supplier to hand as they may be able to advise you on how long your electricity will be off for.

- Have your bathlift serviced.

If you rely on a bathlift to take a bath the last thing you want is for it to break during the cold of winter. We recommend our bathlifts are serviced once a year to ensure they are still working well and can provide this service to you. Call us for free on 0800 280 0485 if you would like to discuss this in more detail. Alternatively, keep the contact details of the company you bought your bathlift from to hand so you can call them if necessary.

- Check over your car.

It's never a good idea to go out in the car in bad weather, however if your journey is absolutely necessary there are a few simple tips to keeping safe. It's important to make sure your car is in good condition during the harsh weather. Ensure it's got plenty of antifreeze and check the tyres have adequate grip. If you are ever at risk of getting caught in a snow storm, where possible keep a spade in the boot, along with a blanket, torch and ice scraper. If you are going out in bad weather and have a mobile phone make sure you take it with you and keep the battery fully charged. If you don't have a mobile phone it might be worth considering one. You can get a good pay as you go phone very cheaply these days, and can even get ones with large screens and buttons if you find the standard ones difficult to use.