Make sure your home is winter ready

While our winters are not as frosty as those of our neighbours in the Northern Hemisphere, it is still a good idea to prepare your home for the colder winter months.

Here's an overview of some of the most important things to check to ensure your home survives the elements, including rain, frost, damp and dryness, during the winter months in South Africa.

Your INDOOR winter checklist

It's as important to prepare the inside of your home for winter as it is to ensure everything around the outside is clean and in good working order. Here are some of the things to pay attention inside.

Heaters: We love the way a heater warms a cold room, but it is an appliance that should always be used with care and caution. Make sure your heater is in safe, working order and if you even suspect it isn't functioning optimally it is best to have it serviced. In the case of a gas heater, check the gas as well as the safety valve on the gas bottle itself.

Reverse ceiling fans: In winter you want to ensure that ceiling fans operate in a clockwise direction by reversing the motor, something that is easily done. Operating a ceiling fan at low speed in the clockwise direction produces a gentle updraft that pushes the warm air from near the ceiling (hot air rises) into the room. This is something that will be particularly effective in rooms with high ceilings.

Check that the windows seal properly: An astonishing amount of heat can be lost through a window that doesn't close properly, even through the smallest gap. Rain also has the ability to penetrate even the slightest of gaps in doors and window so make sure they seal tightly.

Humidify/dehumidify your home: Depending on whether the winter climate where you live is wet or dry, it's a good idea to take steps to either humidify or dehumidify your space. In rainy climates damp and mould could cause a problem, so you want to prevent that by placing a dehumidifier in the relevant rooms. In more severe cases you may want to use anti-mould paint and waterproofing materials to keep the space dry and to discourage the growth of fungus.

Dehumidifiers are relatively inexpensive to buy and could save you thousands in maintenance and repair costs further down the line.

Dry winters, on the other hand, often call for humidifiers to emit water vapour to increase the level of humidity in the air. A lack of humidity, particularly in cities with a lot of air pollution, can have a negative impact on both the skin and sinuses.

While not as reasonably priced as dehumidifiers, humidifiers can significantly add to the comfort level in your home and should be assessed on those merits.

Your OUTDOOR winter checklist

Gutters: Make sure the gutters are clean and cleared of leaves, dirt and debris. This is not something you want to have to do when it starts raining!

Check the roof: A leaking roof is something simply want to avoid. Also, few things impact the structural integrity of a property as much as a problematic roof. Check it and have it seen to as a matter of priority if necessary. The roof over your head is crucially important!

Water tanks: It's wonderful that as South Africans we've become acutely aware of the importance of saving water. With the recent droughts across the country countless people have invested in rainwater tanks to store this precious resource for use in the garden. Always keep an eye on the water level in the tank and make sure to drain it if it gets too full, else you'll have yourself dealing with a flooded yard when the rains come.

Outdoor lights: The days are much shorter in winter, which probably means that you'll be leaving and/or returning home in the dark on many days. As both a matter of safety and convenience, make sure your outside lights are working and that the spaces you use outside are effectively lit at night. You may want to consider putting the outdoor lights on a timer that allows them to go on automatically when it gets dark. What's more, outdoor lighting is a great aesthetic feature to add to your property and something that certainly adds to the overall value of a home.

Protect the outdoor furniture: Even the hardest-wearing outdoor furniture will last longer (and look better) if it is properly protected against the elements, particularly water and sun. Pack it away or at least cover it with a material that is specified to protect against the weather.

With all these things ticked off your list you'll be ready for winter, whatever the weather.