How to Weatherproof Your Home Before Winter

How to Weatherproof Your Home Before Winter

How to Weatherproof Your Home Before Winter - Protect your home from cold, damp, and draughts 

As the temperatures drop and darker evenings roll in, preparing your home for winter becomes more than just pulling out your favourite jumper and stocking up on tea. Winter can be harsh on our homes—bringing with it freezing pipes, heat loss, mould issues, and higher energy bills.

The good news? A few simple weatherproofing steps now can make your home warmer, safer, and more energy-efficient throughout the colder months.

Here’s a practical checklist to help you weatherproof your home before winter sets in.

1. Seal Up Draughts

Cold air has a way of sneaking in through even the smallest gaps.

• Check around windows and doors for gaps where heat might escape. Use self-adhesive draught excluder tape or silicone sealant to plug gaps.
• Fit a brush or rubber draught excluder to the bottom of exterior doors.
• Use keyhole and letterbox covers on your front door—they make a surprising difference!
• For older sash windows, consider thermal curtains or secondary glazing film for extra insulation.

On a breezy day, run your hand around window frames. If you feel air movement, you’ve got a draught.

2. Bleed Your Radiators

If your radiators have cold spots or take a long time to warm up, it might be time to bleed them.

• Turn off your heating.
• Use a radiator key to slowly release trapped air—have a cloth ready to catch any drips.
• Once water starts flowing evenly, close the valve.

This helps your heating system work more efficiently and keeps your home warmer using less energy.

3. Clear Gutters and Downpipes

Blocked gutters can lead to water overflow, damp walls, and even damage to your foundations.

• Remove leaves, moss, and other debris from gutters.
• Make sure downpipes are directing water away from your home.
• Check for any cracks or loose joints and repair them before heavy rain sets in.

Always use a sturdy ladder and take safety precautions when working at height.

4. Insulate Pipes to Prevent Freezing

Frozen pipes are not just inconvenient—they can burst and cause major damage. So it's best to make sure you have sufficient insulation around your pipes to ensure they do not cause you any heating - or financial problems. 

• Wrap exposed pipes in pipe insulation foam sleeves (especially in lofts, garages, or external areas).
• Don’t forget to insulate your hot water tank with a lagging jacket to reduce heat loss.

For outdoor taps, fit an insulating tap cover or turn them off and drain them completely.

5. Check Your Roof and Loft

A quick visual check can prevent expensive surprises later.

• Look for missing or slipped roof tiles, especially after a storm.
• Inspect your loft insulation—it should be at least 270mm thick (around 10.5 inches) for optimum energy efficiency.
• While you’re there, check for signs of damp or mould, which can indicate ventilation issues.

Holes in your roof can become incredibly annoying to deal with, especially if they are in a difficult to reach space. You should do regular checks to see if your roof is in the right condition. 

This can help with preventing any frustrating and expensive surprises from appearing, especially over the winter where you most likely just want to sit back and relax while at home. The sooner these types of issues are found the better, as leaving them unattended for a longer period of time can result in a very hefty cost of repair if enough damage is done. 

6. Service Your Boiler

The last thing you want is for your heating to break down in the middle of winter.

• Get your boiler serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure it’s working safely and efficiently.
• Bleeding radiators (as mentioned earlier) is part of good system maintenance.

A well-maintained boiler is more energy-efficient and extends the life of your heating system. And with that, we finish off our How to Weatherproof Your Home Before Winter guide.