Winter Maintenance Jobs For Your Home
Our Guide to Important Maintenance Jobs Now Temperatures have Dropped
We’ve been wrapping up because we know how to keep ourselves warm and in tip-top condition in cold weather, but we also know how hard it is to do the same when it comes to our own homes! Our home is one of the most important financial commitments we will ever make and yet we are all guilty of sometimes neglecting our biggest purchase and failing to invest in a valuable asset.
You’ll know there are jobs that need doing inside and outside your home, but you’ve probably been putting them off! Yes, we are guilty of that too!
At Maison Partnership we have been discussing all the jobs and chores that we should be doing now to ensure our house is looking good and is prepared for winter. So, here are our tips to help you get organised and prepare for colder months.
Annual Boiler Check-In
When it is cold outside, you will have the heating on more often and hot water on demand ready for a nice hot bath at the end of a long day. Your boiler and central heating works harder in the winter so it’s important you get your heating system regularly serviced by a certified professional. Now is the time to get that yearly service booked in.
Bleed Radiators To Improve Efficiency
A simple task that should be carried out before winter sets in is to bleed any trapped air inside radiators. This trapped air can mean the hot water can’t circulate within the rad, so only some parts of it will warm up properly. It can feel like your house is taking longer to heat, which in turn might make you turn up the thermostat or run your heating longer, which can increase energy costs. It’s best to bleed radiators when the system is off and cold using either a radiator key or a screwdriver. You should gentle turn the valve to release any air until water appears, then gentle close the valve again.
Clear Your Gutters
When the windy weather comes, leaves and moss can be blown into your gutters and downpipes. Left unchecked, blockages can happen causing damage and flooding so you should clear your gutters regularly. While you’re doing that, also clean up driveways and paths that may have a build-up of moss on them.
Address Roof Repairs
Undertaking small roof repairs such as replacing tiles that have slipped, relaying ridge tiles that have come loose and repairing roof flashing can all prevent leaks and damp that can cause deterioration to the roof structure in wet winter weather. Making sure these maintenance jobs are all taken care of can prevent more serious repairs once damage has already set in.
Clean & Draught-Proof Windows
Winter weather often leaves windows looking dull and grubby and windowsills in need of a wipe down. Window cleaners often don’t work when it is icy which makes perfect sense, so you should be giving your ground floor windows at least a once over. This will give you a crystal-clear view of the outdoors and help keep your home looking great from the outside too. Rubber sealing is also a cheap and effecting solution to seal up any potential gaps where draughts can get in.
Spring into Action
The chances are that your home will need a really good spring clean to get rid of the build up of grime that seeps into our homes. Make sure the hallways and stairs are vacuumed properly, getting into all the nooks and crannies, and if you notice any stains, now is the time to get on top of them.
Clean up After Walks
If you’ve got a pet dog and you regularly go out for muddy walks, it’s important to keep your carpets and flooring clean from dirt and rogue bugs that sneak in. Always clean up mud and dirt straight away so that it does not become ingrained. And it’s not just muddy paws! You may also have muddy boots yourself, so give them a hose down outside or if you need to store them indoors, use plastic floor coverings when you enter the house.
Paint a New Look
Stairs and bannisters see a lot of wear and tear and front doors and windowsills are open to the elements so can easily start to look tired. These can all be painted though, which is a relatively cheap and easy way to make your house look fresh.
Get Your Garden Ready
As winter closes and spring edges ever closer, it is time to think about your garden. The chances are you may have neglected it as the weather turned inclement, but now it is the time to get your green-fingers out, or at least get your thinking cap on and start tidying up. Sweep up, check your guttering and down-pipes, pull up any dead plants and tidy the shed so that your garden furniture is easily accessible in anticipation of sunnier days!
Contact us for Expert Advice
At Maison Partnership we can help you sell your home, so, if you need some guidance simply get in touch with us and we’ll share our expertise with you. Call us on 0333 242 3292 or email us at concierge@maisonpartnership.com.
