It’s not over yet, stay winter ready

WITH some of the coldest and bleakest weeks of the year still to come, a wise move is to keep on top of your winter fuel stash. Coal, turf, briquettes, home heating oil and timber blocks are still in plentiful supply and it may be prudent to order in one last round of fuel to combat the stinging weeks that are left. Often there’s a tendency once Christmas is over to let stocks run low. This is less than ideal as a cold weather spell has been known to last well into the month of March.

Some people prefer to have a local supplier deliver fuel on a weekly or fortnightly basis, which is handier if you happen to live in an urban area. While others prefer to order solid fuel in bulk and have it delivered in one go. The latter option might be more expensive, but it’s better to have a few months’ supply in hand.

Of course all the prudence in the world when it comes to buying fuel won’t matter a zilch if you have a home where drafts are allowed to rob you of your precious winter heat. ‘Drafty’ homes are in some cases responsible for up to 60 per cent of heat loss during winter time and this, if you’ll pardon the pun, is just recklessly burning money. Ill-fitting windows and gaps around doors are the main culprits; however, you simply MUST not attempt to block ventilation grills. Ventilation grills are there to allow fumes generated from burning solid fuels to escape.

Also, look out for value when it comes to solid fuels. Local fuel suppliers in your area will do you a good deal and it pays to phone around and check out who’s offering the best deals. This approach works really well if you’re thinking of ordering in bulk. Home heating oil suppliers are also competitively priced and here again it pays to precheck prices. The bulk of the winter might be over but ensuring your fuel stash is replenished is sound advice for the onset of late winter and early spring.