October 21st, 2020 by Sarah Miles

Spring and summer can be busy seasons for getting jobs done around the house and garden so you may be looking for a well-earned rest now that autumn is upon us. However, there are a few jobs that really need attending to before the cold weather and dark nights set in. Getting things sorted now could save you a lot of bother later in the year.

1. Wash down furniture and decking

Your garden furniture has probably had a lot of use over the summer but it’s now time to put it away somewhere dry for the winter if you have space in a garage or shed. This will make it last much longer as freezing temperatures, rain, and snow will damage them over time. Before you do that it’s a good idea to give them a good clean up to get all the grime from summer use off before storing. While you’re doing that, give your decking, patio, or drive a good clean as well, as mould, algae, and lichen mixed with rain and frost can become very slippery in winter.

2. Clear up any loose items outside, including checking your fence

Winter can often bring heavy storms and bad weather. Loose items left in the garden, such as plant pots, barbecues, and gardening equipment, can easily be blown around and cause damage. Likewise, check fencing and make sure it’s secure. Fence panels can often become casualties of high winds, and attending to any areas of damage or looseness now will help prevent them from blowing down and becoming broken beyond repair later.

3. Check the central heating and plumbing

Most people start to turn their central heating back on around this time of year and that can be when issues occur. Even if you haven’t got it back on yet, it’s worth switching it on now to check that all the radiators are coming on ok. If they have cold spots it could mean that they need bleeding or even require a power flush to get rid of any build-up of sludge in the system. You don’t want to find this out when it’s really cold and you have to wait for a heating engineer to come out. If the boiler hasn’t been serviced for a year or more, this is a good time to attend to that.

Outdoor pipes could also benefit from some attention before the temperature falls. Lagging water pipes and the condensate pipe from the boiler will help protect them from freezing up which could burst pipes and cause a boiler breakdown.

4. Check brickwork and pointing

Driving rain can find its way into the smallest nooks and crannies if it hits your brickwork at the right angle. Take a visual look around your house and check that all the pointing is in a good state of repair (as this is often the weak point, not the bricks themselves). If not, chip out the affected mortar and replace it (or get a tradesman in to do it).

5. Check home security

Winter brings darker nights and we often see a spike in burglaries from the time the clocks go back in October (did you know, you’re more likely to get burgled on Bonfire Night than any other day of the year?). If you have outdoor security lights, make sure they still work and if not, replace the bulbs. If you don’t have security lights, you might want to consider getting some installed. It’s also a good time to get your burglar alarm serviced if you have one.

Harsh winter weather can be quite gruelling on your home so getting these jobs now, before the weather turns, can really avoid much bigger problems later down the line.