Is your home autumn-proof?
After those long, hazy summer days (well, we had at least two of them), preparing for a cold snap might be the last thing on your mind. However, with autumn slowly creeping in (we know – we’re sorry), it’s time to make sure your home is ready for the weather change.
Heating
Let’s face it, the last thing you need when there’s three feet of snow outside is the boiler to be on the blink. After a long summer laying dormant, you should check and bleed your radiators and sort out any quibbles with your boiler as far in advance of cold weather as possible. Has the boiler been serviced in the last 12 months? If not, now’s the time to get it checked and make sure it’s safe. Otherwise, you might just find yourself using those Christmas jumpers more than once…
Roof
Lying awake 3am, weather blowing a gale outside, all you can hear is the tapping of a loose roof tile. After a rough night of weather, you’ll be hard-pressed to get a specialist out to fix broken tiles or holes in the roof so make sure you check and sort out any known problems before the weather turns. If your building’s only one or two floors high, you’ll hopefully be able to see any huge problems from the ground but, if in doubt, get a specialist out – any work performed on a roof should only be done by a trained professional.
Guttering
When leaves start to fall, the guttering will suffer. While you can’t prevent fresh blockages taking place, giving your gutters a good clear-out before the difficult weather starts can save you time and money in the long-run. Rid of any moss or dirt from the summer months and check for any weak spots that may be liable to leaking – while a dripping gutter (and the damage it inflicts on the outside of the property) is an annoyance, any damp it causes inside will be even worse!
Garden
While wet and wild weather might mean bye bye BBQ, getting your garden in tip-top shape before autumn officially takes hold could make your job next spring a whole load easier. Try pruning trees and cutting back branches before the leaves start to fall to stop your favourite plants growing out of control – you’ll also find the job of clearing stray leaves from your garden ten times easier when you prepare in advance. And, as an added bonus, it will make some great compost for next year’s garden revamp – less mess and healthier flowers – win, win!
Small investments during warmer weather can ensure less expense (and stress) during autumn and winter. What are your tips for getting a house prepped for colder months? And when do you think the best time for it is? Join in the debate on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
