Top tips for Autumn house-proofing

Tue 13 Oct 2015

The onset of winter can wreak all kinds of havoc with your home, both inside and out so we've compiled a short guide to help you prepare for the chillier season whilst the leaves are still brown.

Inside

•If you use your fireplace often during the winter months, be sure to hire a professional chimney cleaner before you plan on getting that fire roaring again this year.

•Insulate your home using caulk, weatherstripping, or added insulation to make sure you are not left shivering in any part of your home.

•If you haven’t scheduled a heating service in a while, now is the time to do it. After all, there’s nothing worse than a freezing house in the cold weather. 

•Check all your home and garage doors- do they fit properly and close tightly? If not, install weather-stripping door thresholds to keep those draughts at bay.

•October is the best time for professional carpet-cleaning services, as the warm evenings speed-up carpet drying and help your home be look its best all season long.

•Clean and organise kitchen cupboards to make festive-cooking all the more sweet.

Outside

•Though clearing your lawn from leaves may seem like a never-ending battle, it’s important to do this now so that you can mow your lawn one last time to avoid rodent damage, disease and matting that may occur over winter. Don’t worry if you haven’t cleared every last leaf- as they decompose they’ll provide plants with vital nutrients and insulation.

•It is recommended that you fertilize your lawn around November to promote healthy root growth over the winter. Try a high phosphorus mix so your grass will emerge luscious and green come spring. 

•Time to resign yourself to the forthcoming season and finally pack away that barbeque, slide, paddling pool- the warm(ish) weather is gone, and not coming back till May!

•Autumn is perfect time to give your garage a (probably well needed) tidy is before the winter sets in- the last thing you want come freezing January temperatures is to have no idea where you’ve let the snow shovel.

•Clean and check your gutters for any needed repairs, and if necessary hire someone to help you fix them. Also ensure there are no repairs needed on your roof at the same time.

•If you’re a bird lover, now is the time to set up your bird feeders to give them a little extra help over winter.