How to save money on bills while getting your home ready for winter

dailyrecord.co.uk:

With the winter months ahead, now could be the perfect time to think about getting your home in order as temperatures drop."Delaying essential home and car maintenance can lead to expensive and inconvenient repairs in the long-term, with existing problems made worse by wintry weather conditions," says Hazel Johnson, director of personal lines home and motor claims at Aviva."It’s also important to have the right insurance in place, just in case you do need to claim because of unexpected events during the winter months," she adds."However, maintaining your car and home properly throughout the year is critical, as general wear and tear is excluded from most home and car insurance policies."So, where should you start?

Firstly, have a walk around the outside of your property. Make sure any garden furniture that was used over the summer has been stored away ready for next year, and look up at the roof to see if you can spot any loose or missing tiles or slates that might allow water through.It could also be a good time to get your boiler professionally checked and perhaps consider boiler cover, in case of any breakdowns over the winter months.Bleeding radiators should also help improve heat efficiency, as well as potentially saving you some money on winter heating bills.Also remember to check your insulation and draught-proofing.

Replace any broken seals on doors or windows and lag pipes to prevent them bursting over the winter.Smart meters help people to track their energy costs and potentially help households to adapt their energy use habits, helping to save money.The Energy Saving Trust, meanwhile, highlights on its website that heating controls, which help manage when heating is on and what temperature the room should be,