Now that Autumn has officially arrived, it’s time to winter proof your home ready for the change in weather. Here, we’ve put together our top property maintenance tips ahead of the winter months.
Draught proof your home
Stop cold draughts entering your home and hot air escaping by sealing all doors and windows. If you have done this before, check that your seals are still in good condition and fill in cracks that have appeared. Don’t forget to stop cold air coming in through the letterbox by fitting a proprietary draught excluder.
Prepare the garden for winter
Ready your garden for winter by trimming back trees and bushes, tidying up borders, removing dead branches that could fall in bad weather and removing weeds from your outdoor space. Autumn is the perfect time for installing new fence panels or repairing any broken ones so that they can withstand strong winter winds.
It’s also a good idea to spruce up paving slabs, patios and decking using a pressure washer, anti-fungal cleaner or timber treatment to prepare them for wet weather.
Clear drains and gutters
Clear any debris and plant matter from your gutters, downpipes and drains to prevent blockages in winter rainstorms. Check that your gutters are in good condition and fix or replace those with cracks – this prevents your walls from being soaked if water flow is restricted, thereby reducing the likelihood of damp inside your house.
Prepare the exterior for bad weather
Strong winds and winter rain can damage the exterior of your property and even pose the threat of damp to your interior. Now is the time to check your home’s exterior, looking for cracks in render and walls, gaps around windows and leaking roofs. These need to be sealed to prevent water infiltrating your property’s brickwork and plaster, causing damp.
You can also paint the exterior to ensure that there are no weaknesses like cracks or flaking.
Insulate your pipes
Prevent burst pipes by insulating them before the temperature drops. This can be done by installing lagging (insulating foam tubes) to ensure that your pipes cannot freeze and burst – an expensive and disruptive problem to solve.
If you need help to prepare your home for winter, get in touch with the Sparkles property maintenance team today.