Preparing Your Home for Autumn and Winter

Why Autumn Is the Ideal Time to Prepare

There is a moment in early autumn when the evenings start drawing in and you notice the first real chill underfoot. That is your cue. The jobs worth doing in September and October feel small at the time, but they repay you every single day between now and spring. A home that holds its heat, keeps the rain out and has somewhere sensible for muddy boots and wet coats is a home that feels calm rather than chaotic when the weather turns.

Work through the list below over a few weekends rather than all at once. None of it is difficult, and most of it costs very little.

Deal With Draughts Around Doors and Windows

Draughts are the single biggest reason a house feels cold in the wrong place. Before you think about turning the heating up, walk around on a windy day with the back of your hand near frames, letterboxes and skirting boards.

• External doors: fit brush or rubber seals to the bottom and sides. A fabric draught excluder snake is a quick fix for the gap along the base, but a proper brush strip works better and stays put.
• Letterboxes: fit a brush flap on both sides, and add a keyhole cover if you have one.
• Windows: run self-adhesive foam or silicone sealant around any gaps between frame and wall. Older sash windows often benefit from a slim brush seal in the runners.
• Chimneys and vents: an unused open fireplace pulls warm air straight up and out. A chimney balloon or draught excluder makes a noticeable difference. Keep trickle vents open in rooms where you cook or shower, though, or you will simply trade draughts for damp.
• Curtains: thermal linings and curtains that finish just below the windowsill rather than over a radiator help keep warmth in.

Clear Gutters, Downpipes and Drains

Blocked gutters are the cause of more expensive damage than almost anything else on this list. Water that cannot leave the roof ends up in the brickwork, the eaves and the foundations.

Wait until the leaves have mostly fallen, usually late October or November, then clear gutters by hand or with a gutter scoop, wearing gloves. Flush the downpipes with a hose and check that water runs away freely at ground level. Fit gutter guards if you are surrounded by trees. While you are outside, clear any drains and gullies of leaves and silt, and check the roof for slipped or cracked tiles from the outside where it is safe to do so.

Do not forget outside taps. Isolate and drain them before the first hard frost, and lag exposed pipework in unheated garages, cellars and outbuildings. It is also worth locating your stopcock now, before you need it in a hurry.

Store Garden Furniture and Outdoor Kit Properly

Furniture left out through a British winter will age years in a few months. Before storing anything, clean it — a bucket of warm soapy water and a soft cloth is enough for most materials — and let it dry completely. Storing damp furniture is how mould and rust start.

• Cushions and parasols: bring them indoors. If space is tight, a vacuum storage bag under a bed works well.
• Wooden furniture: treat with a suitable oil before storing, then raise it off a concrete floor on blocks or pallets if it stays in a shed or garage.
• Metal furniture: touch up any chips in the paint, as these are where rust begins.
• Barbecues: clean the grill, empty the ash, and cover once fully dry.
• Water butts: drain or lag them so they do not crack, and disconnect hoses.

Give the shed a quick sort at the same time. Anything you did not use this year can go to the tip or the charity shop, and you will have room for the things you actually need.

Get the Inside Warm and Working

Book a boiler service before the rush, and bleed your radiators so they heat evenly from top to bottom. If radiators are warm at the bottom but cool at the top, trapped air is the culprit; a radiator key and a few minutes will fix it. Check that radiator valves turn freely rather than being stuck open or shut.

If you have loft insulation, make sure it is still lying flat and not compressed, and that it has not been pulled back away from the eaves. Draught-proofing the loft hatch with a simple foam strip is a cheap win. Set your thermostat to a sensible temperature and use timers rather than heating an empty house.

Organise the Entrance and Manage Condensation

Most winter clutter arrives through the front or back door: wet coats, muddy boots, damp umbrellas. A boot tray, a rack of hooks at adult and child height, and a basket for gloves and hats will stop the mess travelling through the house.

Condensation is the other winter visitor. Cooking, showering and drying laundry indoors all release moisture, and cold surfaces are where it settles. Use extractor fans or open a window for ten minutes after cooking and showering, dry laundry in a well-ventilated room or outside whenever you can, and keep a squeegee in the bathroom. Wipe down window sills and around window frames weekly, and treat any early mould with a suitable cleaner rather than letting it establish. Leave a small gap between furniture and external walls so air can circulate.

Finally, swap your wardrobes over. Wash and store summer clothing clean and dry, bring out the jumpers and blankets, and put together a small winter box: torches, spare batteries, candles, a blanket and a bag of grit for the path. When the first cold snap arrives, you will simply reach for it. A few focused weekends now mean a warmer, drier, tidier home for the whole season ahead.