WELCOME TO OUR Winter Maintenace checks PROJECT
This project is presented by Wickes DIY and Home Improvement
Summary: Winter maintenance on your home.
Home maintenance can continue during the winter months but obviously most of it is going to be inside. Your home maintenance checks for Autumn, Summer and Spring should have removed any likelihood of emergency outside repairs, so an indoor maintenance schedule is called for. Some of the work will be to ensure that the home is well insulated against heat loss and service bills are kept to a minimum.
Loft insulation needs to be checked (See Autumn checklist) and all pipework and tanks should be insulated. Take special care with gatevalves and stopcocks. Make sure
they can be turned off and on again in the event of an emergency. If you do suffer from a frozen pipe, warm the pipe gently with a hairdryer or a heat gun after opening the tap fed from the pipe. Burst pipes occur when the water expands when frozen so if there is a leak, thawing gently will reveal it sooner allowing you to mend it. See our project on repairing burst pipes . Make sure all drainpipes and gullies are clear of leaves as the leaves will hold trhe water which will freeze and cause problems. Drain Tidys to keep out leaves and debris are available from the Wickes DIY and Home Improvement web site.
Use Wickes Patio Cleaner to keep moss and algae from paths and patios and always have a supply of Wickes Rock Salt handy to spread when things get slippery.
Dark Winter evenings are very popular with burglars and installing outside lights is a very good idea. Passive Infra Red (PIR) lights will detect movement and switch themselves on, these can be spots, or lanterns and will also provide a welcome for legitimate visitors. 
Inside the house make use of timeswitches to turn on lamps or a radio at certain times. The appliances used will need to have plugs on and should be located upstairs to deter burglars. There is little point in lighting an obviously empty downstairs room. Two seperate lights, set to come on at different times is ideal.
Internal decorating is the most popular winter DIY job and something as simple as washing painted walls can make so much difference. To wash painted walls, use Sugar Soap available from the Wickes DIY and Home Improvement site and start washing walls from the bottom, not the top. Starting at the top washes dirt off which runs down the wall soaking in as it goes. This makes it 
very hard to get off later. Papered walls can be stripped using a Wickes Stripper. See our project on stripping wallpaper . This is also a great time to replace skirting boards, piture and dado rails to change the appearance of a room completely. Dado rails can be used to split the room in half with one half being painted and the other wallpapered. Timber rails can be glued to the wall for ease using Forget Nails Adhesive available from the Wickes DIY and Home Improvement site.
Winter is also a good time for larger internal improvements like a new bathroom or kitchen. If you have a job like this in mind go to the Wickes web site and download a Good Idea leaflet or pop to a store and pick up a brochure. The Wickes In-Store designers can help you plan kitchens and bedrooms with computer aided design equipment. When the room is designed the way you want it, a cost can be given. The system will not help design bathrooms but if you visit the Wickes DIY and Home Improvement web site, have a look at Good Idea leaflet 122 as this could be useful here.
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For all the latest Wickes offers...... click below
Wickes Top Tools
Click on a tool below for additional information.
 500W Halogen Floodlight |
 6-Zone Wirefree Alarm Kit |
 Door Set |
 Economy Pipe Insulation |
 Gibson Gas Fire |
 Letter Plate |
 Patagonia Gas Fire |
 Smoke Alarm |
Much more construction information is available in our bookstore. All the tools and fittings you need in the toolstore.
Forums
AIR ADMITTANCE VALVES
ARTEX - REMOVING OR PLASTERING
BLOCKING WATER STAINS
BOXING IN PIPES
BREAKING UP CONCRETE & WALLS
CLEANING GROUT WHEN HARD
CONCRETE EDGING STONES
CONDENSATION ON TOILET CISTERNS/PIPES
CUTTING & SAWING TIMBER
CUTTING CERAMIC TILES
ENLARGING A LOFT HATCH
FILLING CRACKS AROUND THE HOUSE
Fitting a cat-flap
Fitting a cylinder night latch
Fitting a door knocker
Fitting a house number
Fitting a letter box
FITTING A MORTICE, or MORTISE LATCH
Fitting a security chain
FITTING A SHOWER TRAY
Fitting roof or loft windows
GARDEN - A COMPLETE MAKEOVER
Installing plastic gutters
KITCHEN PLANNING
LADDER SAFETY & CLEANING GUTTERS
MITERING WORKTOPS
MITRE JOINT - SKIRTING / ARCHITRAVE
SETTLEMENT CRACKS IN BUILDINGS
Socket Height
Summer Maintenance checks
Wet Walls
WOODWORKING PLANS
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