How To Get Your Home Autumn-Ready
Jobs to do before the colder weather takes over
Autumn is a popular season. So when late September arrives, it brings a palette of red, brown, and yellow shades along too. The autumn foliage paints the streets with gold leaf, and there's a buzz about Halloween, cosy jumpers, hot chocolate in the crisp air. But, as the plods towards its end, wetter and colder weather also approaches.
There are plenty of chores you can do to get your home ready for autumn. It is the perfect time to make repairs inside and out, so you can prepare for and block out the wintry elements. It's also a chance to prevent any potential damage caused by moisture and frost. Don't forget; autumn is your best chance to get some last-minute jobs done in the garden. You can read about autumn lawn care on our blog, too.
Below are some of the jobs that you might need to get done this month!
Fix your roofs
If you've recently noticed any loose roof tiles, damaged eaves, or missing slates, now is the time to get up on the roof and make the repairs. Any gaps in a roof can let in water or a draft during winter. If you don't resolve the cause of the problem, the issues can get worse and cause you more trouble in the future.
The tiles of an apex roof can get broken easily or become dislodged over time. If you have a flat roof, you should clear any debris, adjust shallow spots where water could collect, and inspect the flashing. If you have a head for heights, you can use a ladder or scaffold tower to reach heights. If it's not something you want to do yourself, you can always call in an expert.
Clean your gutters
Even before the leaves start to fall, gutters can get cluttered with twigs, branches, and nests. If your guttering is clogged, water can down walls or crevices instead of flowing to a drain. At best, your external masonry might look a bit stained and grubby. If worse comes to worst, the water can cause damage, rust, mould, and even lead to internal damp. Make sure your guttering and downpipes are straight, in good condition, and clear of any debris. Remember to wear gloves when taking on any jobs like this.
Clear external drains
Outside drains and ditches can get easily blocked by a build-up on grass clippings, fallen leaves, and other garden debris. After inspecting your guttering, it's a good idea to check your drains to make sure they're clear for rainwater to run through. You'll need your gloves for this job too.
Put outdoor furniture away
Gardens can get gradually more cluttered during the summer months. The barbecue, lounger, and toys that you dragged from storage aren't going to see as much now, so it's time to tidy them away. Give everything a thorough cleaning and dry the surfaces before taking it to your garage or shed. If you have covers, put them in place so that everything is fir for use next year.
Draft up an insulation plan
Making sure your home is fully insulated, and draft-proof allows you to heat the rooms more efficiently and comfortably in the winter. In addition, Draft-proofing can save you a lot of money on energy bills when the weather is cold, so it's well worth exploring.
You should start by checking doors, windows, fireplaces, sockets, light fixtures, pipework, and access points to lofts or attics. There are plenty of cheap and effective ways to prevent drafts. You can find door sweeps, excluders, silicone sealant, expanding foam, and other solutions in any hardware store or builders' merchants.
Inspect alarm systems
Since you're likely to spend more time indoors, it's a great time to test alarm systems and safety devices. You can make sure smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, security alarms are in working order. If you don't have them, you can install them.
If you're checking alarms, it might be a good idea to ensure external doors and windows close correctly, check your locks, test your doorbell, and do other jobs of that kind.
Check heating systems
Please don't wait until it's too late! If your central heating or boiler breaks down in the middle of winter, you're going to suffer. You might struggle to find someone to fix it, too. Check that everything is working and if you need to get a service, book it in sooner rather than later. Check and bleed radiators, check chimneys, test everything!
If you have a workshop, garage, or shed that needs external heating or is prone to damp, you should take precautions. You can hire space heaters and dehumidifiers for short term use. However, if you spend a lot of time in these outdoor areas, you might find it's cheaper to buy your climate equipment.
Deep clean carpets
Autumn is a great time to wash your carpets, as they will have accumulated a lot of dirt when people trapsing in and out all summer. There's a good chance that pest larve could have latched onto fibres too, and they'll hatch, with less opportunities to escape through doors or open windows.
Using a carpet cleaning machine removes the deep-seated dirt, stains, odours, and allergens that cling on to your furnishings. It can also revitalise the surface, making it look and feel fresh.
