Summer is finally here, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the sunshine will make an appearance particularly often. While we remain optimistic after recent spells of more pleasant weather, people in the UK can never be sure of whether they’re likely to wake up to rain or shine.

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When it comes to DIY now is a great time to make a start on projects both outdoors and in, to help your property look its best in the months ahead. Some tasks, of course, may require the expertise of a professional – something that boiler insurance might help with – while others you could tackle yourself. Here a few tasks that might keep you busy in the near future and may even help you to save money:

Check the lighting

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When it comes to lighting up your home it can prove to be an expensive business, but are you doing everything possible – besides sitting in the dark – to minimise your usage? Natural light can certainly help during summer, so make sure windows aren’t unnecessarily being blocked by furniture and keep your blinds and curtains open a little later in to the evening.

It may also be worth installing dimmer switches and energy-efficient lightbulbs to knock a few extra pounds off your energy bills.

Give your walls a lick of paint

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A great way to lighten up your home and give it a fresh appearance is to paint the walls. Some rooms may take priority over others, so tackle those first, but also consider using a neutral shade that could be applied around the house. If you’re keen to add a touch of colour as a focal point then why not paint one wall in a different shade?

Lag your pipes

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While frozen pipes aren’t likely to be of immediate concern to you, now is a great time to make some simple changes to benefit you once the weather does become a little chillier. Lagging your pipes is a good way of reducing the likelihood of them bursting as heat will be locked in. It might also be worth reducing your emissions by fitting a British Standard jacket to your cylinder, which offers savings of around £45 per year.

Your boiler cover may be able to help with any problems that do arise but remember to keep your central heating in good shape over summer by turning it on occasionally. This can stop water becoming stagnant in the tank. 

Make your garden greener

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Whether you’re having a barbecue or simply enjoying some time outdoors, your garden can be a great place to be when the weather is right. Why not make some simple changes that might help it look better and you save money? Installing a water butt and using leftover grey water – rather than a hosepipe – on your plants is much better for the environment and your wallet alike. You could even make your compost heap by saving things such as leftover vegetable peelings, grass cuttings and cardboard. If you do decide to do this there are plenty of guides to help you get the right balance

HMH

By HMH