Winter is a tough time for homes – they’re under loads of pressure. If you want to avoid home maintenance issues, take care of these essential maintenance tasks now.
We spoke to property expert Angela Kerr for advice, Director and Editor at the HomeOwners Alliance:
Angela Kerr has 15 years of experience in central government, working in a range of areas from European environment negotiations to leading a review of Building Control, ensuring buildings are compliant with government regulations.
As Director and Editor at the HomeOwners Alliance, Angela wants to empower readers with information and expert insight so they can confidently engage professionals, save money and have a more fulfilling home owning experience.
Must-do home maintenance tasks
When summer and autumn have passed and the cold weather sets in, many homes start feeling it.
Harsh weather can harm your property, inside and out, but with a proactive approach, you can sidestep the worst issues.
The key is knowing what needs doing ahead of time. That’s where this winter home maintenance checklist comes in so handy.
Prepare for winter home emergencies
All homeowners want a comfortable, functional home during winter. After all, who wants to deal with repair issues when Christmas is approaching?
Our winter home maintenance checklist can help you fix problems, tackle wear and tear, and get you through the winter months.
Reminding us all of the need to be prepared, Angela questions “If the bad weather brings about a power cut or your internet goes down, would you know who to contact in an emergency? Keep a list of important numbers such as your plumber, electrician and roofer somewhere you can easily find it.”
Test your smoke alarms
Winter might be cold, but it’s also a season of fire hazards.
Open fires, electric heaters, candles, and electric blankets are just some of the dangers that appear this time of the year.
It’s obviously best to avoid fires, but if one takes place, you need to know about it. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly, and give them fresh batteries for peace of mind.
If your smoke detector is broken, you could hire a professional to install a new alarm. Buying a fire extinguisher and fire blankets is a good idea, too.
Take these steps and you’ll surely be ready for any accidental fires.
Clear lint from washing machines and tumble dryers
Thrifty homeowners dry laundry on clotheslines and airers. In winter, those options are less effective.
Instead, you’ll have to hang laundry in front of radiators or use a tumble dryer.
Tumble dryers are really useful but need proper maintenance. Lint builds up in the drum and lint trap (if your model has one) after repeated use.
When this happens, it makes your appliance less efficient, and could even lead to a fire. You can stop this from happening by clearing out the lint regularly.
If you don’t know how to do this, your washing machine or tumble dryer manual will have instructions.
Insulate pipes and outside taps
When temperatures drop, household pipes are more likely to freeze and crack. If you’ve experienced this before, you’ll know what a mess it can cause. It could affect both plumbing and heating systems.
You can prevent burst pipes and costly water damage by insulating your pipes – especially outdoor pipes – ahead of time. The best insulating materials (sometimes called lagging) are at least 5mm thick.
Angela suggests you should “Use either UL-listed heat tape or foam rubber insulation to prevent them from freezing.”
Handling this early should stop any disasters but if you have an urgent situation, call a 24-hour emergency plumber for help.
Locate your stopcock
The stopcock is the off switch for your water supply.
You’ll need access to it if you’re dealing with a cracked pipe. Otherwise, you can expect plenty of water damage.
Normally, the stopcock lives underneath the sink, but there are no guarantees. It might be in the bathroom, hall, or even basement.
If you don’t know where yours is, put aside some time to find it now. You’ll be glad you thought ahead if the worst happens. In emergencies, turn it clockwise until the water stops.
Angela says “If cold weather causes a burst pipe, you need to know how to turn off your water supply quickly. So you’ll need to know where your stopcock is. It’s usually found under the kitchen sink.”
Check the roof
Winter storms bring heavy rain and strong gusts. If your roof isn’t ready, major damage could follow.
Find a nice viewpoint, then scope out the state of your roof. If you see any wear or tear, you should act.
Replacing a few missing tiles can prevent leaks and water damage, and doesn’t require a lot of time or money. If you’re confident, you can even tackle these problems yourself.
When you have no experience (or time), calling a professional roofing service is the best choice.
Block out window and door draughts
Want to save yourself some money while making your home more comfortable? Door and window draught excluders are the answer.
The Energy Saving Trust suggests homeowners could save as much as £50 per year by using these handy draught-proofing tools.
Add strips to window and door frames – the metal type with brushes usually lasts the longest – to keep out the cold. Don’t forget about keyholes and letterboxes, either. If you’re not confident fitting these, hiring a handyman service is simple.
It might be worth using draught excluders on internal doors, too. Basic fabric excluders can trap air in rooms and help with temperature regulation.
Check on your chimney
Fireplaces can keep you warm and toasty in the winter, but they need regular maintenance.
Make sure to sweep your chimney, if you didn’t get around to it during autumn home maintenance. This keeps you safe by preventing avoidable fires.
It’s also worth draught-proofing your chimney. Remember, chimneys channel air out of your home. Many people forget it, but chimneys still do that even when there’s no fire.
Inflatable chimney stoppers limit this effect by blocking air from leaving the building. With one, you can expect to save £90 a year – and those savings will continue adding up each year.
Clear snow from your driveway
There are loads of gardening jobs every winter – check out our guide to autumn and winter gardening jobs – but for homes, keeping driveways clear matters most.
Heavy snowfall fills up driveways in no time. When that happens, you end up with a space that isn’t safe for cars or people. The longer you leave this issue, the worse it gets.
You can stop this from happening by shovelling snow in the early part of the day. When snow is fresh, it’s less compact and much easier to move. You can prevent further build-up and black ice by following this with a sprinkling of salt.
If you have a big driveway that’s hard to handle, snow clearing services have the tools and resources to help.
Angela adds that you should “Avoid using water to melt the snow. If temperatures are below freezing that water could quickly turn to black ice. Instead, use table or dishwasher salt to clear the snow. A tablespoon for each square metre should do the job.”
Ticking off your winter home maintenance checklist
Getting your property ready for winter weather is challenging, but the payoff is worth it.
Following these home maintenance tips could help you avoid expensive, emergency repairs while making your home more comfortable.
Just make sure to give your property attention throughout the year – you can read our guide on autumn home maintenance here – for the best results. You can’t clean your gutters once and expect leaves to stop falling!
If you’re struggling to get around to everything and need some professional help, post a free enquiry on Yell. Plumbers, roofers, and handyman services – whatever you need – will come straight to you.