Autumn Home Maintenance: 8 Chores To Carry Out Before The Winter Bites

The temperature is cooling and the trees are about to shed their leaves. Meanwhile, Xmas is looming ahead. Now could be a good time to carry out some important maintenance tasks around your home in order to prepare it for the winter weather and the festive chaos around the corner. Below are just a few chores that you shouldn’t overlook this autumn. 

Clean your gutters

Let’s start by considering your gutters. These unsung heroes help to divert rainwater from your roof into drains so that you don’t end up with puddles around the base of your home and foundation damage. 

Gutters need to be periodically checked to make sure that they are not clogged up with debris. Autumn is the most common season for blockages to occur - fallen leaves can drift into gutters, become wet and cause obstructions. This can cause water to spill out over the side. When the frost arrives, these wet leaves may even freeze and expand, leading to your guttering cracking and breaking. 

You can clean your gutters yourself using a ladder and some gloves, or you can hire professionals to inspect and unclog your gutters. November is a good time to carry out this task and most leaves will have fallen by then. 

Clear your lawn of leaves

Fallen leaves can also damage your lawn. Carpets of leaves can prevent sunlight from accessing your grass and can kill it off. Getting rid of leaves will increase the chance of your lawn surviving the winter.

The most traditional way to clear up leaves is to use a rake. Alternatively, you can use a leaf blower to quickly remove leaves. If you decide to move the leaves into a pile, make sure to dispose of this pile - otherwise the leaves will all end up back on your lawn next time there is a strong wind. 

Service your boiler

Winter is the most common time for boilers to break down, because this is when they are used most heavily. It’s also the worst time for a boiler to stop working, because it’s when you need your boiler the most.

Consider getting your boiler serviced before the colder months arrive. This can help to flag up any issues early so that they can be repaired before a full breakdown occurs. A plumber can carry out this inspection for you. 

Bleed radiators

Over time, radiators can get trapped air stuck in them, which can prevent them from working properly. ‘Bleeding’ your radiators helps to get rid of this trapped air.

A few signs that your radiators need bleeding include cold spots, gurgling noises or rooms taking ages to heat up. You can bleed your radiators by opening the bleed valve using a radiator key - you;ll hear a hissing sound as trapped air escapes, after which water should start flowing through, at which point close the bleed valve (it’s worth placing a cloth or bowl underneath to stop the floor getting wet).

Seal up gaps and cracks

Gaps and cracks in your home can cause heat to escape - leading to your home cooling fast and resulting in you using more energy to keep your home warm. Sealing up these gaps and cracks is therefore an important task to consider if you want to reduce your energy bills and retain heat in your home.

First, check that exterior doors do not have gaps under them or around the sides. Weatherstripping your doors or using a draft excluder will help to stop heat escaping and will keep out cold drafts.

You should then check for cracks around window frames and door frames. These may be possible to seal up just by using caulk. Larger cracks may require a professional to seal up (you may also want to get your foundations inspected to make sure that your home isn’t experiencing subsidence). 

Inspect your roof

It’s also important to periodically inspect your roof. Changing temperatures and harsh weather can eventually cause your roof to wear away, leading to cracks and holes and missing tiles. Getting this damage fixed early can help to prevent heat loss and leaks. 

How should you inspect your roof? Often it’s safer and more effective to hire a roofing expert rather than climbing on your roof yourself - they will be able to inspect your roof carefully and will know what kind of damage to look for. Any repairs can then be made there and then before winter arrives. 

Carry out a pre-Xmas declutter

Xmas is a time of upheaval. Furniture will need to be rearranged to make way for the christmas decorations and the tree. You’re also likely to receive a few gifts (which could include an influx of new toys if you have kids).

Carrying out a pre-Xmas declutter can help you to make room for these Xmas decorations and gifts so that your home isn’t overflowing in January. Focus on areas like the living room, dining room and kids’ bedrooms. Rather than throwing away items, consider donating them to charity shops or carrying out a car boot sale. 

Winterise outdoor plumbing

Freezing temperatures can burst external pipes, leading to floods and expensive fixes. ‘Winterising’ your outdoor plumbing is a way of safeguarding against this.

This involves draining and disconnecting garden hoses, shutting off outdoor taps from inside and insulating exposed pipes with foam sleeves. For sprinkler systems, consider blowing out residual water with compressed air. You may also want to consider clearing out drains of leaves to prevent blockages. Doing all of this can help prevent plumbing disasters and can keep your fixtures working the next year. 

Conclusion

That’s eight tasks to keep you busy this autumn! While some of them can be put off until winter, tackling them now allows you to make necessary repairs and changes before the temperature gets chilly and before Xmas gets in the way. Make sure to hire professionals when necessary - while you can inspect your roof and clear your guttering yourself, outsourcing these tasks to pros is often safer and can result in a more thorough job.