An illustration showing a person holding a clipboard with a checklist, standing in front of a house. Text above reads "Quick audit before the cold".

Quick audit before the cold

take a tour of the house: attic, openings, wet rooms, electrical panel, technical space.
identify obvious heat loss: drafts, door bottoms, tired window seals, uninsulated attic hatch.
check the presence and condition of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

An illustration showing a woman holding a clipboard in front of a house with an insulation roll on the roof. The text above reads "Insulation & Sealing".

Insulation and sealing

attic and hatch: adding 10 to 20 cm of insulation where it's insufficient often offers the best return on investment.
seals and door bottoms: install foam or silicone seals and a weatherstripping draft stopper.
windows: simple hardware adjustment or a new seal makes all the difference; think about thermal curtains on large windows.
thermal bridges: behind baseboards, roller shutter casings, exterior wall outlets expanding foam or acrylic sealant limits air infiltration.

Heating and hot water

boiler or heat pump: annual maintenance, filter cleaning, pressure and circulator checks.
radiators: bleed to remove air and sludge to improve efficiency.
regulation: programmable thermostat or remotely controlled ones like Tado or Meross and thermostatic radiator valves to target 19°C in living areas, 17°C in bedrooms.
hot water tank: descaling if water is very hard (common around Montpellier) and set to 55-60°C.

Illustration showing a person cleaning an air vent with blue arrows indicating air circulation, accompanied by the title ventilation and air quality.

Ventilation and air quality

mechanical ventilation: dust off vents and ducts, check proper extraction in kitchen and bathrooms.
air inlets: don't obstruct them; clean air reduces humidity and therefore the feeling of cold.
smart actions: air out 5 to 10 minutes a day, even in winter.

Roof, facades and rainwater

gutters: remove holm oak leaves and pine needles from the scrubland; water must drain away from facades.
roof: visual inspection after windstorms, displaced tiles, moss to treat if necessary.
facades and woodwork: micro-cracks or degraded seals to repair to avoid infiltration.

Exteriors and annexes

garden: protect outdoor taps and hoses from frost, drain automatic irrigation.
terrace and thresholds: make sure water doesn't pool against the house.
pool: winterization and frost protection if needed, particularly in exposed areas.
also remember to protect your meter and water inlet: ideally, it should be buried because water doesn't freeze underground. If that's not possible, foam around the pipes reduces the risk of reduced flow and implosion.

Safety, comfort and savings

lighting: switch to LED, add timers in hallway areas.
savings basics: lowering heating by 1°C reduces consumption by about 7%. Close shutters at night, open curtains in the sun.

For landlords and sellers

rental management: provide a winter guide to tenants (bleeding, ventilation, frost precautions) and plan boiler maintenance. Most maintenance tasks fall under the tenant's responsibility, so it's good to remind them!
sale project: if your DPE is poor, consider getting quotes to reassure buyers. Assistance also exists for renovations.