Stephanie Walker helps homes in Newcastle get winter ready

With the dark nights approaching and temperatures set to plummet, now is the time to make sure homes are prepared for the colder months. British Gas engineer Stephanie Walker, from Newcastle, is amongst 10,000 British Gas engineers across the UK helping customers to get ready for winter. Stephanie works as a British Gas engineer across the city after initially joining the company as an apprentice. Stephanie’s proud to be part of a team of engineers who, together, work every day of the year to help customers stay safe and warm in their homes. Stephanie explains: “With temperatures set to drop soon, I’d encourage people to prepare for winter now by doing some simple checks to make sure their homes are cosy, warm and working properly. “Here are some of the tips I often give to customers to help them prepare for winter.” 1. Bleed your radiators to make sure they are working properly. If your radiators have cold spots, this means there’s air in the system, so you will need to bleed them to get them working efficiently.

• To do this, turn the central heating system off and then turn the radiator key until the air stops and water runs consistently. Once you have turned the system back on, the problem should be solved.
• Bleeding your radiator may result in pressure dropping within your central heating system. If you have a pressure gauge, make sure your boiler is at the right pressure and top up as necessary.

2. Block the breeze: Make sure all of your home’s windows and doors are sealed properly to stop warm air escaping. For those that don’t, fitting draught excluders, which you can buy from most DIY stores, is a quick and cheap way to cut down on your energy bills. 3. Love your boiler: Check to make sure that your boiler is working properly before winter sets in. The older your boiler, the more inefficient it will be. If you have a pressure gauge make sure the boiler is at the right pressure and top up as necessary. 4. Save money on bills by insulating your home free of charge: If your home qualifies, you could save as much as £160 a year by getting your cavity walls insulated and as much as £140 by getting your loft insulated*. Find out more here: https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy-saving-products/home-insulation There’s also plenty of help available from British Gas including helpful and practical tips on getting ready for winter on our website. *Source Energy Savings Trust, August 2014. Actual savings depend on individual circumstances.