Three smart ways to spot small problems in your home before cold weather hits – and avoid costly repairs

NOW is the time to check your home and catch small problems before they become costly winter disasters. A little maintenance is easy to carry out and can save you major headaches . . . Three smart ways to check your home and catch problems before winter cold hits Credit: Getty PIPE UP: Water damage to the home is one of the most common insurance claims and is usually the result of leaking or burst pipes. Check pipes regularly for irregularities or dampness, especially those that are hidden, such as behind dishwashers. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Insulate pipes to stop them freezing. You can buy pre-slit foam tubes, which slot over pipes from the likes of Wickes or Screwfix or Toolstation. THE HEAT IS ON: If there is a problem with your heating, you’ll want to find out before a cold snap hits so you can avoid emergency call-out costs. British Gas recommends turning on the heating and letting it run for around 15 minutes, testing the thermostat to make sure radiators respond. Unusual noises or faults could mean there is a problem to investigate. If your radiators are not warming up at the top, there could be air bubbles. Most read in Money Bleeding your radiators just means letting air out of the system and helps your system run efficiently. This is easy to do, you just need a radiator key to open the valve. You can buy these on Amazon or from hardware stores. PRESSURE POINT: The pressure on your boiler should be between 1 and 1.5 bars. If it’s too low, the boiler could cut out. It’s easy to sort yourself, usually you just need to open valves around the filling loop to let water into the system. But check the instructions that come with your exact model on how to do this and turn off the boiler before starting. If water pressure is regularly falling low, it could be the sign of a leak. All prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability. Deal of the day Save £37.50 on this M&S four-piece stainless steel pan set at Ocado.com Credit: Supplied UPGRADE your cooking essentials with this M&S four-piece stainless steel pan set, down from £75 to £37.50 though Ocado.com. SAVE: £37.50 Cheap treat Plump your skin with this watermelon jelly mask with hyaluronic acid, £1, from Superdrug Credit: Supplied PLUMP your skin with this watermelon jelly mask with hyaluronic acid, £1, from Superdrug. What's new? ICELAND has launched a range of Traitors food ahead of the celebrity show’s launch this month, with prices from £1. The round table jalapeno wheel is £5, with hidden extra-hot pieces in the pack. Top swap Combine style and comfort with Adidas’s Adicolor loose tracksuit bottoms, £60 from adidas.co.uk Credit: Supplied Or lounge for less in burgundy wide leg joggers, £25, from F&F at Tesco Credit: Supplied COMBINE style and comfort with Adidas’s Adicolor loose tracksuit bottoms, £60 from adidas.co.uk. Or lounge for less in burgundy wide leg joggers, £25, from F&F at Tesco. SAVE: £35 Little helper EE is offering free bookable sessions in high street stores to offer families support and advice on managing young people’s online safety. Book at ee.co.uk. Shop & save Save £11.40 on this chocolate brown backpack at Accessorize Credit: Supplied KEEP your laptop and office essentials in this chocolate brown backpack, down from £38 to £26.60, at Accessorize. SAVE: £11.40 Hot right now BUY one item of babywear from Boots online and get another half price. Offer includes bodysuits and muslin packs. PLAY NOW TO WIN £100 Join thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we’re giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers – whether you’re saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket. The more codes you enter, the more tickets you’ll earn and the more chance you will have of winning! Comment now