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Stay safe, warm and cosy this winter by making sure that the main contributors to energy wastage and potential house dangers are attended to, sooner than later.

Preventive home maintenance is often overlooked as we get busy with work and family commitments. But winter will soon be here and we all like to hibernate a little in Adelaide when it’s cold, inside a nice warm home with hot water running whenever we need it.

For a nominal cost, preventative maintenance prior to winter will go a long way to protecting your biggest asset and ensuring the efficiency and safety of your home.

1. Clean your gutters - clogged gutters cost you money in repair and utilities

The purpose of gutters is to catch the rainwater and channel it through downpipes away from your home. If they are not cleaned regularly, they cannot do their job effectively.

These are the main problems that may occur if gutters are not cleaned regularly:

• Your home holds water which can cause rust. Water can also get into the home’s structural fascia causing timber to rot.
• Overflow creates excess moisture around the home. Excess moisture contributes to movement in the home, increasingly the likelihood of walls cracking. This is especially a problem for older homes with bluestone foundations. If you can control moisture around the home, then you can control potential cracking.

The cost of repairing foundations can be in the tens of thousands, so get onto cleaning your gutters sooner than later and if you cannot do them yourself, call the team at Ken Hall Plumbers.

The other cost is increased utility bills. Damp and mould collect in homes that have not had their gutters cleaned, which means your heating has to work harder to make the home warm and comfortable, costing you more in electricity or gas.

2. Service your gas heater – and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

Many Adelaide homes have gas heaters that go dormant over summer, collecting dust and other debris that finds its way into pipes and valves. People typically turn on gas heaters for the first time before winter and may notice a funny smell. This smell is due to a build up of dust and is a good indication that the gas heater requires a thorough clean. We recommend a gas heater service to ensure it is operating safely and efficiently over the winter months.

To operate efficiently, your gas heater needs to be cleaned so that the heat exchanger, the fans and filters as well as the pilot injector are all in good working order. This will save you money, eliminating unnecessary gas usage costs related to inefficient operation.

More importantly however, servicing your gas heater regularly will prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, often called a silent killer because if affects people without any obvious signs. For this reason alone, we would recommend an annual clean and service of your gas heater, with the additional benefit of better operation and reduced gas bills.

3. Service your hot water system – no-one wants a cold shower in winter

For the average household in Australia, your hot water system will account for approximately a quarter of your annual energy bill. So it’s wise to make sure it’s running efficiently. Also nobody in your household wants to run out of hot water when they turn on the shower on a cold morning. There might be some health benefits to a cold shower, but let’s leave that for another season!

We recommend that your hot water system is serviced annually to prolong the life of the unit and prevent hot water emergencies. Checking the gas burner or electrical element, the thermostat, valves and that the temperature is set correctly, will prevent the hot water system from overworking to heat water, costing you more in gas, electricity and water, and potentially blowing out.

The cold winter weather can put older hot water systems under increased strain. It also may be time to upgrade. We can provide customers with a no obligation free quote on all hot water systems (electrical, gas, solar, heat pump) including all makes and models.

Preventive home maintenance is a wise investment

By taking these three simple home preventive measures every year, you will ensure a comfortable and warm winter for you and your family, and save yourself time and money on water, electricity and gas bills over the winter. Not to mention you will minimise the risk of household fires, your hot water system blowing up, and most importantly carbon monoxide leakage.

Ken Hall Plumbers are here to help you get ready for winter. Our preventive services include gutter cleaning (single and double storey), gas heater servicing and hot water servicing and are only available throughout the winter season.

Call the team at Ken Hall Plumbers today on 8364 5855 for more information or to book an appointment.