As we make the most of the last rays of the summer sun, thoughts turn to the long cosy nights coming soon. Getting the curtains drawn early and snuggling up in front of the TV! As the next few weeks fly by, the kids are settled into new school years, sandals are discarded to the back of the shoe cupboard and the search for last year’s scarves, hats and gloves begins!
With Halloween, Bonfire night and then the run up to Christmas we can often neglect jobs that we shouldn’t. To help you out we have put together an ‘Autumn Home Maintenance Tips’. So you can easily check off those mundane tasks that you usually put off or forget about all together…
Exterior Winter Preparation Home Maintenance Tips
Prep Your Garden for Winter
Autumn, beautiful, gloriously colourful….and there then are the leaves! Don’t they just seem endless! No sooner have you cleared the back garden and they are back again! Several bin bags later and you may be forgiven for considering hunting down a Garden Services Company to give you a hand. While you’re treating the garden to a pamper make sure if you have any trees that need attention to call one of our professional Tree Surgeons and get it done right.
Unclog Guttering and Drains
Gutters or drains still full of mucky Autumn leaves? Now is the time to replace your guttering or get them unclogged, before the freezing whether begins. If you’re not a fan of heights or ladders our local trusted traders can help. See our Guttering Services or Gutter Cleaners.
If your drains are causing you the problem you may need a professional Drainage Specialist to get right in and clear that our for you. They’re fully equipped to deal with any kind of blockage and will sort it out for you quickly and efficiently. If, however, you wish to tackle the problem yourself make sure you do some research first, wear protective clothing and invest in the correct equipment.
Protect Outdoor Furniture
Although labelled ‘outdoor furniture’ this doesn’t make it invincible to the winter weather. Don’t take the risk and leave it out, if you have the space store it away! Don’t have anywhere you can store your outdoor furniture? Do a little research online to find protective sprays etc that can help protect from the bad weather. Then when Spring arrives and you are setting your garden back up for summer your outdoor furniture will be good as new!
Repair Misted Double Glazing
Misted up double glazing is both unsightly and annoying. Unfortunately, it’s also a warning sign that your windows are probably not sealed and insulated correctly. For expert advice give our professional Double Glazing Repair Companies a call. For information and advice on condensation and damp proofing see our Winter Home Maintenance tips.
Get Your Roof Winter-Ready
We all know what British weather entails and it’s hard to know when you might need a roof replacement. Signs of water damage can be easily mistaken for something else so always check your roof. Don’t wait for further damage because doing so could be costly. Also look out for mould and moss growth which could also lead to future water damage. If in doubt contact one of our friendly Roofers!
Fix Driveway Cracks
This is one of those jobs we put off in the hope that the driveway will endure the winter weather without any issues. It is also one of those jobs you will be wishing you had done if the driveway doesn’t last the winter. Simple driveway repairs are much easier and cheaper than having to replace a driveway altogether! You could get some filler and try your hand at a bit of DIY to save some pennies. If not then most of our local reliable Driveway Specialists offer driveway maintenance and would be happy to help!
Drain Outdoor Taps
This one is one of our important home maintenance tips when preparing for freezing temperatures. To prevent burst pipes due to frozen water make sure to drain and disconnect all outside taps, forget and you may be in with a hefty bill when you need to get your pipes replaced! If you’re unsure how to do this you can find tutorials and guides online.
Interior Winter Preparation Home Maintenance Tips
Safety First
So the outside is now ready for winter. The first thing to do when checking the inside of your home is to make a point to check all of your safety devices and ensure that they are working efficiently. Check fire extinguisher expiry dates and replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, with all the extra electricity and heating we use at this time of year it is better to be safe than sorry.
Sadly at this time of year another safety measure to consider is Burglar Alarms and CCTV, more break-ins tend to happen before and after Christmas time so protect you family and have a professional install your home security.
Get Your Boiler Serviced
It’s generally around mid October when we have to give in and switch the central heating back on and as luck would have it, that’s normally the time when we discover that it’s not working the way it was in April when we switched it off. It’s always best to get it checked over by a Qualified Gas Safe Engineer rather than tackle it yourself. Gas Fires, Central Heating Boilers and Systems should be serviced annually. It is much better to be prepared than to wait for a nasty expensive shock! Be sure to use one of our vetted and recommended engineers in our Gas Services and Central Heating categories.
“I decided it was time you had a proper boiler Mother!”
Alternatively, the thought of a log burning stove on cold winter nights does sound very appealing. From traditional hearths to modern aesthetics, 2nd City Gas Plumbing and Heating have plenty to offer.
Prepare For Christmas Guests
Are you hosting this Christmas? Do you have relatives to impress? Or do you simply want your house sparkling clean for the festive season? You could get your scruffs on, stock up on cleaning products and get stuck in… But who has time for that at this time of year!? There are numerous events to organise and presents to sort out! So why not treat yourself to a one off professional clean using one of our recommended Cleaners.
Don’t forget about your carpets too! Our local trusted Carpet Cleaners will happily get your carpets and upholstery as good as new. Make sure you book them early though at it their busiest time of year and you don’t want to be left having to do it yourself!
Attend To Your Appliances
It’s easy to ignore a broken tumble dryer in the summer months when the summer breeze dries the laundry instantly. And it’s not too hard to improvise the cooking with a broken grill when you’re only cooking for yourself. But now the days are getting colder and cooking Christmas dinner for all the relatives is looming in the near future you might be thinking about getting your appliances fixed. Our Electrical Appliance Repair engineers can help you out with washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers and electric cookers. And our Refrigeration Repair engineers can help with fridge and freezer repairs.
How can Quick Find help?
We hope our Autumn home maintenance tips came in handy for you and your home is now prepared for the cold weather. If you need a professional, make sure the businesses you use are qualified, trustworthy and registered with relevant trade bodies. Quick Find can help you find many or all of the trades people you need including carpenters, tilers, flooring services, double glazing, plasterers, painters and decorators and many more.
All of our traders must pass a certain criteria to advertise with us, so you can rest assured you will receive professional, quality service. Alternatively, if you are looking for someone to take on a complete renovation, take a look at our vetted and approved builders or our home improvements teams.
Read more about our vetting process or search now via the homepage; it’s as simple as selecting the type of business you are looking for and your area, and we will provide you with trusted and recommended traders local to you.
If you’re not used to hiring trades people and are not sure what you should be asking, take a look at our previous blog: ‘Looking for local trusted traders? Here are our top questions to ask when getting a quote’. Now you should be feeling confident to get out there and get some quotes, good luck!