The Edinburgh Realty eNewsletter

Six top tips: Get ready for the Otago winter

We always think there’s heaps of time, but it’s easy to run out of weekends as the winter months approach. Prepare early, before you can say ‘brrr… I’d forgotten how cold it can get!’.

1. Show your heat pump some love. Don’t wait for it to make weird noises or blow lukewarm air. Have it serviced and clean its filter. It’ll repay you in reliable, toasty heat and maybe even leaner power bills.

2. Avoid stacking wood in the wet. Who wants to shift wet wood in the freezing rain? And that’s if you can find any wood to buy. Get your order in now, stack it somewhere dry and cover it for later.

3. Sweep your chimney. It’s amazing how much soot can accumulate in chimney flues. Not to mention the starling that set up nest there last spring…

4. Check your car over. Winter driving in Otago can be challenging. Check your car tyre treads are up to it and take a look at tyre pressures while you’re at it.

5. Remove the damp. Invest in a dehumidifier and enjoy the strange satisfaction of removing bucketfuls of water from your home.

6. Feeling draughty underfoot? Look at installing underfloor insulation in your home, and – if you’re a landlord – in your tenants’ home. There’s funding available through Warm Up New Zealand, with some local councils and banks also offering help if you qualify. Check out: www.energywise.govt.nz/at-home/insulation/installation-funding