House care

Early spring is a good time to check the state of your property – you’ll have more energy for the tasks ahead and your home will have just gone through the most demanding months of the year, with rain, wind, snow and frost having put a considerable strain on it.

Guttering

Gutters help stop the walls of your house from becoming saturated by channelling rainwater from the roof down to ground level. If they become blocked, water will overflow and could lead to damaged brickwork, rotten windows and dampness – problems that will be very expensive to put right! Autumn leaves play the most havoc with gutters, and yours will have had their fill by the end of the winter, which is why now’s the time to give them a good clean. If you’re nervous about climbing a ladder you could ask your window cleaner to do this for you next time they visit.

Roof

Much like the gutters, your roof is what keeps your home weatherproof. If there are missing or cracked tiles, you’ll soon know about it next time there’s a heavy rainstorm. Leaks can damage your underlying timbers, paintwork and, in time, the very fabric of your home. Again, the roof is a hard one to check yourself, so you could ask your window cleaner to look for cracked or loose tiles at the same time they are inspecting the gutters. Or if you own a pair of binoculars you could check the roof yourself from street level.

Paintwork

Now, take a long, hard look at your external paintwork. Are your windowsills looking a little cracked, peeling or worn? If so, it may be time to give them a lick of paint. Inspect all the seals of your windows and external doors and be on the lookout for missing putty, damaged or rotting woodwork and flaking paint. Catch such problems early enough and you could get away with a minor touch-up of paintwork and seals rather than a complete overhaul.

External walls

Next, turn your attention to your walls. Are there cracks in the brickwork or stonework, crumbling bricks and missing mortar? If you’re particularly worried about the state of one of your walls arrange for a builder to visit – it may need re-pointing. Check that your airbricks are clear of any blockages such as earth or leaves, otherwise your home won’t be properly ventilated and the inside of your home could start suffering from condensation, and even worse – damp and mould.

Jobs to do in summer

If your spring checks have uncovered big jobs that need doing, such as painting the outside of the house, re-pointing brickwork and fixing the roof, have the work done now while the weather is relatively fine. If the paintwork inside is looking a bit tired, use the bank holiday weekends and longer days to do a spot of decorating. It will take years off the place! The summer is also the best time of year to have your boiler serviced (it should be serviced annually by a CORGI-registered engineer). By having it inspected now, if there are any problems you’ll have plenty of time to put them right before winter sets in.

Later in the year, before you turn on your central heating for the first time, be sure to bleed your radiators to release any air that may have got into them over the summer. This is also the time of year when condensation problems can arise. Reduce the amount of moisture in the building by increasing ventilation, having extractor fans put into rooms that are prone to moisture like bathrooms and the kitchen. Finally, check the gutters again and clear them in preparation for this year’s falling leaves.

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