With colder temperatures and worsening weather not that far away, now is good time to have a look around the house and garden and see what needs preparing to see you through the winter.
We have pulled together this handy guide to plugging up the gaps and sealing your home against the worst that the British weather has to throw at it.
Check your heating – Give your heating system a trial run before you actually need it in cold weather. You’ll be able to identify any problems and get them sorted out now before you really miss it. If you have open fires, make sure you get chimneys and flues cleaned and swept.
Heating service – If it’s been a while, now would be a good time to organise a boiler service. Once the cold weather really starts to bite, competent heating engineers can be hard to find as this is a really busy time for them. Have a look at Checkatrade or Trustatrader for recommendations.
Check your loft – Have a look at the water expansion tank in your loft and check the ball valve on the water inlet to make sure it’s working OK. Move the ball up a down a few times to see if the water flows and then shuts off. While you're up there, inspect your insulation and top it up if needed to the required depth of 270mm. Also check that any pipework in your loft is insulated; you don’t want frozen or burst pipes in cold weather.
Draft proofing – Check your doors and windows for draft proofing. Adding a threshold strip or a letterbox draft excluder are cheap and quick ways to improve draft proofing and save yourself some money on your heating bills this winter.
Check ventilation – Because we tend to shut up the house at this time of year, a resulting lack of ventilation can cause condensation problems. Condensation can be removed by ensuring that your rooms are well ventilated and extractor fans fitted in areas such as the kitchen and bathroom.
Check outside – A bright sunny day in autumn is a good time to check your walls and brickwork for any damage. Flaking and cracks can allow water to penetrate, so you’ll need to get these repaired. Also make sure there’s no soil or debris piled against the walls that could cause a breach of your damp proof course. Also check air vents and air bricks are clear and free from debris to ensure adequate ventilation indoors.
Clear drains and gutters – In late autumn, once most of the leaves have fallen, clean out drains, gutters and downpipes of any blockages. You should also repair any leaks you find in gutters and down pipes.
Check your roof – Get out a pair of binoculars and inspect your roof to make sure there are no damaged slates or tiles. Replace any damaged or missing tiles and make sure and damaged flashing is also repaired.
Outdoors – Check external pipes and taps and insulate them to prevent freezing. Clean paths and patios and treat external timber.
Exterior lighting and homes security – You could fit some motion sensitive lighting outside your home to ensure you have some welcoming light when you come home from work on the darker evenings. Good quality external security lighting also helps to deter would-be burglars.
The colder months aren't here yet, but by getting ahead of the game with a few 'prep jobs', you can sit back and relax and enjoy a stress free winter.
