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Easy Fixes
Staying warm and safe during the colder months can be challenging. This guide provides practical support to help you manage heating, safety and common winter issues. It also includes references to Liberty, our repairs and maintenance partner, who provide several helpful troubleshooting videos.
There are a number of ways to keep your home warm in winter, we have listed some of them below.
Reduce draughts
Small gaps around windows, doors and letterboxes allow warm air to escape. Using draught excluders, adhesive seals or rolled towels at the base of doors can help reduce heat loss.
Arrange an annual Boiler Service
A boiler that is serviced once a year is safer, more efficient and less likely to fail during cold weather. Contact your Housing Officer if you need support arranging your annual service.
Bleed your radiators
If radiators feel cooler at the top than the bottom, trapped air may be preventing them from heating properly. Bleeding radiators can help restore full heat output.
Use extra layers for warmth
Thick curtains, blankets, throws and rugs help keep warmth inside your home.
Use doors and windows efficiently
Keep internal doors closed to retain heat. Open windows briefly after cooking or showering to reduce condensation.
Set your heating timer
Timers help you heat your home gradually and efficiently, such as 30 minutes before waking up or arriving home.
Make the most of natural light
Open curtains during the day to let in natural warmth and close them at sunset.
Keep radiators clear
Leave a gap between furniture and radiators to allow heat to circulate.
To ensure fire safety during the winter months consider doing the following:
Check smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms
Test alarms regularly. If alarms are missing or not working, request support.
Smoking safety
Avoid smoking indoors. Never smoke in bed or on soft furnishings.
Using portable heaters safely
Keep heaters away from curtains, bedding and furniture. Do not leave them unattended.
Open fires and woodburning stoves
If your home has one, always use a fire guard and ensure fires are fully out before going to bed.
Dry clothing safely
Avoid drying clothes on heaters.
Electrical appliance safety
Keep appliances clean, well-maintained and avoid overloading sockets.
Electric blanket safety
Store electric blankets flat or loosely folded. Turn them off before bed unless specifically designed for overnight use.
Candle safety
Use candles only in suitable holders and never leave them unattended.
Defrosting a condensate pipe
When the weather gets extremely cold, your condensate pipe can freeze. This is the pipe that runs out of the wall from your boiler, and into the drain outside. If this happens, it can leave you without heating or hot water.
Help and support is provided in Liberty's 'How to safely thaw a frozen condensate pipe' YouTube video.
My hot water isn't working (Combi boiler)
If you have a combi boiler and no hot water, Liberty's 'Hot water troubleshooting' YouTube video can teach you how to fix this at home.
My heating isn't working (Combi boiler)
If you’re concerned about your heating and you have a combi boiler, you can watch Liberty's 'Heating issues' YouTube video to guide you on how to fix this at home yourself, without needing to call an engineer.
My hot water isn't working (System boiler)
If your hot water isn’t working, and you have a system boiler, you can watch Liberty's 'No hot water' YouTube video, which walks you through soft fixes you can do yourself to get things going again.
My heating isn't working (System boiler)
Sometimes if we’ve not used our boiler in a while, it can impact your central heating. If you have a system boiler, Liberty's 'Heating troubleshooting' YouTube video can help you to get your heating working again without needing to call out an engineer.
Common Central Heating Problems
When we move into the colder months after not using our boiler as much, this can sometimes result in issues with our heating. Our partner, Liberty, has created a YouTube video to help you figure out what’s happening and the next best steps to get your heating working properly again.
Radiators hot upstairs, cold downstairs
This may indicate restricted circulation, trapped air or a worn pump.
Signs of pump problems
- loud humming or grinding noises
- overheating
- leaks around the pump
- radiators not heating evenly
Steps to try
Bleeding radiators may help.
If you are struggling with heating, hot water, energy costs or safety, we are here to help. Please contact us to report any issues you have been unable to fix from the information.
