Autumn property maintenance checklist
The jobs to do in October and November so winter doesn't find the weak spots in your home for you.
1. Clear gutters and downpipes
Leaves block gutters fast in autumn, especially near mature trees. Blocked gutters overflow down walls and cause damp inside. Check after the main leaf fall, not before.
2. Test the heating before you need it
Run the heating for an hour, bleed radiators that are cold at the top, and get your boiler serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
3. Deal with draughts
Check door seals, letterboxes and window catches. Doors that have dropped or swollen over summer often stop sealing properly.
4. Protect outside taps and pipes
Isolate and drain outside taps if you can, and lag exposed pipes in lofts, garages and under-sink cupboards on outside walls.
5. Check fences, gates and sheds
Autumn storms find loose fence panels and rotten posts. Fix them now rather than after one blows into a neighbour's garden.
6. Look for early damp
Check corners, behind furniture and around windows for mould spots. Catching condensation early is cheap; ignoring it isn't.