Checklist for getting your property ready for winter

Start indoors

Check the boiler

Get your boiler serviced by a qualified engineer. Ensure you have a reliably warm home and hot water this winter.

Logs and coal

If you have a more rural property or log burners then order logs and coal, and store outside, within easy reach of the house, in a cool, dry place.

Doors and windows

Check putty and seals around all doors and windows and fill any gaps.

Bedrooms

Turn over mattresses. Replace summer duvets with winter-weight ones, or add an extra throw at the foot of the bed for cold nights.

Clean windows

Clean windows inside and out, to maximise light during the gloomy winter months.

Alarm batteries

Check batteries on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Consider insulation

Save energy by checking attic insulation and padding any exposed pipes.

Check the loft

Check for signs of damp and leaks, check ridges and valleys of the roof, around chimneys, and on brickwork to gable ends. If you can see daylight then you need to make a repair.

Insulate pipes

Make sure that water tanks and pipes are insulated and adjust any insulation that has slipped over time. 

Outdoors

Clean gutters

Clean the gutters and downpipes and remove leaves and other debris. Make sure downpipes lead straight into drains.

Check outdoor lighting

Make sure lights are working. Low-energy lightbulbs can provide security and ability to see pathways.

Flat roofs

Check for cracks, heat bubbles, pooling water and joints between the flat roof and walls. The general life expectancy of a felt flat roof is 10 years.

The Garden

Hoses and taps

Insulate taps and put hoses away, having drained ,in the shed.

Prune bushes

Prune bushes, shrubs and flowers and plant bulbs ready for spring.

Mow lawn

Mow the lawn on a high setting, then apply fertiliser to the grass. 

Protect outdoor furniture

Clean and put away outdoor furniture or, if space is short, buy a waterproof cover for it.