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Winter prep is essential for many households up and down the country, especially when it comes to the UK’s turbulent weather conditions, alot of which tend to be wet and dreary in nature.
The prep for winter is something to get ahead of so that you can help keep your home and garden in good condition.
Thankfully, the prep work is getting easier and smarter in nature, thanks to the use of smart tech for increased focus and real-time energy control. Not only that but it’s helpful for providing immediate savings and all of which is driven by rising costs and sustainability goals.
In this guide, we’ll look at what most households will need to know about winter prep and why it’s getting smarter and easier for UK households.
Smarter winter prep with technology
A lot of winter prep is improving due to the use of smart technology. There are a number of examples in which outdoor tech and equipment is being utilised for homeowners that want to make DIY gardening a little easier for them.
Smart meters provide real-time usage data, which also helps households see exactly where the energy is going. Not only that but access to smart tariffs or rewards for off-peak usage, as well as managing bills better.
With smart appliances, it allows for scheduling cycles during cheaper hours in the day, as well as monitoring energy usage in general. It can also be helpful for detecting faults early, helping to improve the home’s resilience.
Programmable thermostats and thermostatic radiator valves allow you to set specific temperatures and zones. This also prevents wasted energy within unused rooms
Easier and cheaper fixes available
A lot of household repairs are becoming cheaper and easier to do. These include the following:
Boiler and radiator care
Simple tasks such as bleeding radiaotrs helps to remove trapped air for even heat, as well as servicing boilers by checking pressure. By doing all of this, it helps prevent costly breakdowns.
Draught-proofing
Adding rugs, using reflective panels and sealing gaps, can significantly reduce heat loss without the need for major renovations.
Heating habits
Setting your boiler’s flow temperature, as well as using a thermostat saves energy while staying warm. A lot of the costs can come using heating at too high of a setting. A smart thermostat can help to adapt to your household’s usage in order to make it more affordable over time.
Why the shift?
So why the shift? What’s changed? There are many reasons why there’s been a change to smart tech households.
Rising costs with energy price volatility, makes efficiency a top financial priority to save money, especially in financially strained households.
Sustainability is now more important too. A net-zero transition encourages households to adopt an eco-friendly and efficient solution.
Technology also offers a sense of control over bills that seem to rise significantly over the cooler months. Not just that but reducing winter anxiety is beneficial to many households, particularly those who are elderly. UK households can make winter prep less daunting and more effective with the use of smart technology.
Tips for winter prep in your garden
Prepping your garden for the winter is essential and there are many ways in which you can do this to make it easier on yourself. From clearing dead plants to cleaning and storing tools properly. Here are a few ways in which you can prep your garden for the winter.
- Plant and soil care
Clearing debris is an important use of time, especially when it comes to avoid pests and diseases in the garden. Look to remove any dead plants that are taking up space, as well as leaves that are strewn across the garden in the front and back.
Mulch is a good way of helping to protect your plants and so applying a thick layer of straw, leaves or wood chips around plants insulate roots. It also helps to prevent soil freeze-thaw cycles too.
Be sure to water your plants thoroughly before the first hard frost appeals. Tender plants should be protected carefully with frost covers. You could also bring them indoors to help shield them from extreme weather conditions.
Planting cover crops can also be helpful to protect the soil and add nutrients. Pruning wisely can also trim away dead or diseased branches and shrubs.
- Structures and tools
When doing garden maintenance, it’s worth looking at your fences and other structure like pergolas or garden sheds to check if any of them need repair work. It’s better to do the repair work than to leave it to deteriorate further and cause more damage to the rest of the garden.
Cleaning tools is a good way to prevent rust and ensures these tools remain in good condition for as long as possible. With that being said, make sure you wash, dry and oil your tools before storing them in a secure and waterproof place.
Upgrading your technology from manual to electric options like an electric shovel is also helpful to stay on top of garden maintenance in a shorter amount of time.
Be sure to prepare your greenhouse too if you have one. Cleaning it out thoroughly and moving in any frost-tender plants is beneficial.
- Finishing touches
Finishing touches can really help benefit the garden as a whole but also for the purpose of prepping it for winter.
Feeding your compost with a final turn and be sure to plant hardy flowers like heathers or pansies.
Tidying up your pathways is important too, making sure to scrub off any algae or grime from patios and paths for safety. Fixing any problems with this pathway should also be prioritised.
Winter prep is certainly a very important and effective way of keeping your garden in good condition. With that being said, use these tips to help keep your garden prepared and ready for when the spring and summer months roll around. Take advantage of these tips and maximise your efforts in preparation. That way, you’ll get more out of your garden in the future.
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