Autumn is the perfect time to do some basic seasonal home maintenance to keep your house in tip-top shape. Here's a list of autumn home maintenance jobs from the Indigo Greens Team.
Test your Boiler - Take advantage of the mild temperatures and test your boiler to ensure there aren't any problems. This will give you enough time to hire an engineer to make repairs if you find something wrong. It’s best to service your boiler annually with a Gas Safe engineer. Keep hold of that service record too as it will come in handy at the point of selling your home as safety certificates are always requested from solicitors.
Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors - It's important to test carbon monoxide and smoke detectors monthly to keep your family safe. Detector batteries should be replaced annually and autumn is a good time to do this, better to change the battery before it’s needed rather than have it wake you at 2 am bleeping from a low battery! If your detector is faulty or out of date a new one can be picked up from most supermarkets and DIY stores.
Wipe Your Radiators - The dust settling on the radiators can cause a funny smell if you haven’t given them a wipe before you heat up your home for the first time in a while, so remember to wipe down your radiators. Use a dusting wand to reach down the back of your radiators.
Avoid Condensation and Damp - A lack of ventilation from keeping windows and doors shut over autumn and winter can cause condensation, which may seem like a minor problem, but is in fact one of the most common causes of dampness. Make sure the rooms within your home are well-ventilated and install extractor fans in areas such as bathrooms and kitchens, which produce the most vapour, to reduce condensation. When condensation is present then use a clean cloth to dry the surface and remove the water. By keeping on top of condensation it will prevent dampness and mould development.
Clean the Gutters - Spend some time outside cleaning the leaves from your gutters and drains. If water gets trapped in the gutters because of debris and freezes in the cold winter months, it can cause damage to your guttering. Clogged gutters can cause overspilling rainwater which is likely to cause dampness to your property if left untreated as the water seeps into the brickwork. If you are not able to clean the gutters yourself then it is worth investing in someone to do this job for you, especially if you live close to trees.
