Prepping for winter: home renovations that will help keep the cold (and load-shedding) at bay.
Category News
With the winter months fast approaching, here are some home renovation ideas to help insulate your home, prepare for load-shedding and keep you and your family warm throughout the cold season.
The winter chill is enough to give anyone a case of the blues, but in South Africa we are faced with a unique problem that can take those winter blues to an entirely new level - load-shedding. It is for this reason that it is absolutely crucial to take the necessary precautions and do some quick, last-minute home renovations ahead of winter, to ensure that you and your family stay warm regardless of whether or not there is electricity.
Install a fireplace
What better way to weather the cold winter months than curled up next to a fireplace with a mug of tea in hand and reading your favourite book. With the ever-present threat of load-shedding hanging over our heads constantly, it is time to look at alternative means of warming up your home without relying solely on electricity. Installing one or more fireplaces in your home will not only add a touch of style and guaranteed warmth, but they will also increase the value of your property. There are many different types of fireplaces which one can choose from, whether you're looking for a modern and hassle-free gas fireplace to a good old-fashioned wood burning one which are not overly pricey to install. A well-placed fireplace can do wonders for the overall heating of your home, making it the perfect solution to keep the cold at bay during those colder (darker - thanks Eskom!) winter months.
Install double-glazed windows
Replacing older windows with newer, double-glazed ones is an excellent way of ensuring that your home is as energy efficient as possible when managing heat. While having double-glazed windows is standard in most overseas countries, many older homes in South Africa do not have them and as such lose a lot of heat in winter and overheat in summer. Double glazed windows prevent heat loss which enables them to keep your home warmer in winter and, conversely, cooler in summer - saving you money on electricity and ensuring that no additional warmth is lost when load-shedding strikes. Installing double glazed windows in your home will also increase the value of your property.
Get a gas stove
Installing a gas stove into your kitchen ahead of the winter months could mean the difference between enjoying warm meals and a steaming cup of tea during the rolling blackouts or cold leftovers. Use your pre-winter renovations as an opportunity to give your kitchen a winter and load-shedding-friendly revamp by replacing your electric stove with a state-of-the-art gas stove. Gas is not only more affordable in the long run, but also it won't be affected by the rolling blackouts that we have to look forward to in the months ahead.
Upgrade your home's insulation
When it comes to ensuring that your home doesn't lose any precious heat in the winter months, the first thing to do is upgrade your home's insulation. Installing top of the range insulation in your home will make all the difference when it comes to preserving heat and ensuring your home is as energy efficient as possible - plus it has the added benefit of keeping your home cool in summer too. Regardless of what state-of-the-art heating system you have, if you don't have good insulation in your home you will find that winter chill creeping in. Insulation should be installed in your roof as well as in your walls to ensure maximum efficiency.
Get smart with décor
Winter-proofing your home with renovations doesn't only mean building fireplaces, installing gas stoves and double-glazing on your windows, it also means getting smart with your home's interior décor. Thicker curtains that trap heat, thick rugs, warm woollen throws are all excellent ways to protect your home from the winter chill - and they don't require any electricity to work. You can also rearrange your furniture to keep out the draughts.
Hopefully with these pre-winter renovations you will not only ensure that you and your family stay warm in the upcoming winter months but that the inevitable load-shedding won't affect you as much. For more ways to load-shedding-proof your home, read this article.
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Author: Lisa