Autumn maintenance tips to keep your home cosy this winter.

The leaves are turning beautiful colours, everything tastes better pumpkin spiced, and everyone's out and about in cabled knitwear. All definite signs of the oncoming colder months, which also means they're definite signs that it's a good time for those winter maintenance jobs to ensure your home is kept warm and dry this winter.

Boiler checking

Even if you never touch the thermostat until the end of November and wear it like a badge of honour, turn your heating on now for just long enough to check that your radiators are heating properly. If they aren’t, you’ve got time to call in a plumber to have a look before they get booked up with other people’s winter emergencies. If you turn them on in November to find there's a problem, you will likely have a bit of a wait.

It's also worth booking a Gas Safe registered plumber to perform an annual service if you haven't had one yet – no-one wants broken heating when they should be hibernating!

14 degrees is the magic number

Even if you prefer wearing 3 jumpers and snuggling under a pile of soft furnishings over heating, setting the central heating to at least 14 degrees Celsius during the cold months helps prevent frozen pipes saving you costs in the long run.

Give your roof a once over

Don't panic, this doesn't involve heights. Stand back and take a look at your roof. If you can see any broken or missing tiles or spot any which appear to be loose at an odd angle, then now is the time to get them fixed before strong winds or heavy snow can exacerbate any problems.

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Whilst you’re outside looking up, have a look at your chimney if you have one and check for cracks or loose render around chimney pots. High winds or heavy rain and snow can weaken already weak points and create further instability.

If you use your chimney for open fires, make sure you have had it professionally cleaned. Blockages caused by nesting birds, or a build-up of soot can cause chimney fires which are quick to take hold, and hard to put out making them incredibly dangerous.

Through the window

Have a wander round the outside and check the window frames, especially wooden ones. Fill in any new cracks and give them a coat of paint if they need it. This will help prevent wood which is exposed to the elements from rotting.

Clear your gutters        

Although they make a pretty picture whilst still on the tree, autumn leaves can play havoc with homeowners by clogging guttering and creating ‘foliage damns’ which allow water to collect in the gutter and start leaking into your roof. To avoid this from happening, regularly check your gutters. You can either clean them yourself, or hire a professional -again, a cost which could save you money in the long run by preventing leaks.

If you're looking to buy or sell a home and would like some more advice on what you can do, or what you should be looking for. Please give us a call on 01895 695 674 and a member of the Lawrence Rand team will be happy to help.