How To Prepare Your Home For Autumn

As the darker nights draw in and we head into autumn with colder and wetter weather, what home maintenance should be undertaken to help avoid the issues that often arise for homeowners? Our seasonal to do list – covering everything from assessing for damage to reviewing home and contents insurance, can help stay on top of the most common problems before winter.

Autumn Home Maintenance Tips

• Prep gardens: Preparing your garden by cutting the grass and raking leaves helps to prevent pests and diseases. It also ensures your garden is neat and ready for the colder months.

• Bleed radiators: Bleeding your radiators can improve the efficiency of your heating system by removing trapped air, ensuring they heat up properly.

• Chimney swept: Having your chimney swept is essential for ensuring efficient airflow, especially before using your fireplace in the colder months.

• Test smoke alarms: Regularly testing smoke alarms is vital for safety, ensuring they’re operational and can alert you early in case of a fire.

• Check insulation: Checking and upgrading insulation can help in maintaining a consistent indoor temperature and reducing heating costs.

• Check security lights: Checking your security lights are functioning properly is important for safety and security during the longer, darker nights.

• Service boiler: Regular boiler servicing can prevent breakdowns, ensuring your heating system is reliable and efficient.

• Check boiler pressure: Monitoring boiler pressure is equally important for the system’s efficiency.

• Check for any water leaks: Identifying and fixing water leaks early can prevent water damage and save on any costly claims on your home and contents insurance.

• Check pipes for blockages: Clearing blockages in pipes prevents water backup and potential damage, ensuring smooth water flow.

• Seal window and wall cracks: Sealing cracks prevents drafts and potential heat loss.

• Clean mold prone areas: Regularly cleaning areas prone to mold helps in maintaining healthy air quality and prevents long-term damage.

• Check roof for missing or loose tiles: Inspecting the roof for damage and repairing it promptly can prevent water leaks and further structural damage.

• Check driveways for cracks: Repairing any cracks in driveways helps protect them from worsening over winter due to freezing and thawing in colder weather.

• Check exterior pipes are securely fastened in place to the wall: Ensuring pipes are securely attached will limit damage from heavy winds or storms.

• Clean drains and clear gutters from any debris and leaf build ups: This prevents water overflow and damage, ensuring proper drainage.

• Repair leaking gutters and down pipes so the water drains properly: This can otherwise cause damage to walkways and property foundations, leading to expensive repairs or claims on home insurance.

Security Home Maintenance Tips

As with our autumn home maintenance checklist above, there are also a number of steps your clients should take to ensure the security of your property.

• Lock ladders away: Ensuring ladders are locked away prevents potential burglars using them to access higher floors, improving the security of your home. 

• Use timed lighting: These give the appearance of someone being home, which can deter burgulars whilst you are away.

• Check all door and window locks: Regularly checking and maintaining locks is essential for stopping anyone from breaking in.

• Hide keys: Keeping keys hidden and out of reach prevents potential burglars from easily accessing them.

• Lock side and back gates: Bolting or padlocking gates adds an additional layer of security, limiting access to your property from less visible areas.

• Fit a good quality lock on any outbuildings: Installing robust locks on any sheds, garages, or other outbuildings protects any valuable items stored inside.

Review Your Home and Contents Insurance: While preparing a home for autumn its important that you also review your home insurance policy. This can help to ensure you are covered for the most common autumn claims, such as storm, flood, and other weather-related damages. It can also help to understand any limitations or exclusions on your policy.

Similarly, you should also take this opportunity to update your policy to reflect any recent home improvements or changes in property value.

Article from Higos