Before temperatures plunge you should be looking at these things in your home
Tarquin Purdie, founder and CEO at HaMuch, has shared six crucial tips for homeowners as autumn sets in, with a stark warning to householders about the peril of neglecting the home ahead of the cold winter months.
He said: “It can be easy to neglect our homes during the warmer summer months, but September is certainly the time to act whilst the days remain fairly long and the temperature is yet to drop.
“Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to maintaining a property and money aside, the last thing you want is for your boiler to pack up mid-winter.
“One task in particular could save you thousands of pounds and that’s checking for Japanese Knotweed. During the winter months, it tends to die off like most plant life, which can make it hard to detect and give the impression that you’re knotweed-free.
“This simply isn’t the case as it continues to spread below the surface and so neglecting it until the following spring could devalue your home substantially.”
Your autumn rundown to stop your home turning into a money pit:
Boiler and radiator health
September is the ideal time to check on the health of your boiler and radiator, as waiting till the cold winter months sweep in could leave you without heat during freezing temperatures, reports the Express.
To start your boiler and radiator check-up you should begin by going around your house and bleeding all the radiators to ensure they’re functioning properly and efficiently.
Next up, it’s time to schedule a health check for your boiler, which typically sets you back around £100. If any issues are detected, repairs can add another £100-£800 to the bill, depending on how serious they are.
While this might seem like an unnecessary expense, the cost pales in comparison to the amount you could face if unchecked problems are allowed to escalate.
Replacement boilers come with a hefty price tag of around £2,750, and a faulty boiler is believed to knock an average of -1.9% off a property’s value.
Insulation, windows and doors
In addition to your boiler inspection, it’s also time to scrutinise your home’s insulation. Check your loft and wall insulation and ensure your windows and doors are secure.
This will significantly boost your property’s energy efficiency and, as a result, reduce your household bills.
When it comes to windows, keep an eye out for cracks and general wear and tear in the frames, particularly if they’re made of wood. Trickle vents should also be checked for proper function with newer windows.
Tarquin has also emphasised the importance of checking your water pipe and boiler insulation to prevent valuable heat from being lost at the source.
You may need to fork out around £200-£300 to have all these elements professionally inspected and repaired. However, this is just a fraction of what you’ll end up paying in energy and repair costs if these issues are allowed to deteriorate.
Damp and mould
Damp and mould are serious concerns in any home. They not only pose potential structural issues if neglected, but they’re also detrimental to your health, and the longer they’re left, the more expensive it becomes to rectify the situation.
To fix minor damp and mould problems, you’re looking at a cost of around £175 for damp treatment, and £300 per room for mould repair. If these issues are ignored, dampness and mould are known to decrease the price a buyer is willing to pay for a home by an average of -7.5%.
Based on the average house price, this equates to a cash loss of -£21,594.
Brickwork and gutters
Before the winter rain arrives, it’s crucial to check the pointing on your home’s external brickwork. If this is inadequate or incomplete, it can allow water in and become a serious problem.
Tarquin suggests that if there are any issues, it’s well worth paying for professional repointing, which should cost £55 per square metre.
And while you’re outside, take a moment to ensure that your gutters and drains are clear of leaves and other debris that might cause a blockage, replacing any cracked pipes along the way.
The roof
Cracked or missing tiles can cause significant problems for a home, from water ingress, to heat loss, and even unsafe structural issues. An inspection should cost you about £250, but it’s money incredibly well spent.
Japanese knotweed
Knotweed, one of the UK’s most invasive and destructive plants, is a homeowner’s worst nightmare, particularly for those looking to sell their property in the coming years.
Swift action is crucial when dealing with Japanese Knotweed as the longer it remains, the more damage it causes and the costlier it becomes to remove. While removal typically costs between £1,000-£2,000, this is far preferable to leaving it unchecked.
During the winter, Japanese Knotweed enters a dormant phase, with the plant dying back to ground level and turning brown. However, don’t be deceived into thinking it’s disappeared – the underground rhizomes remain active and continue to spread.
This makes it essential to eradicate the plant before winter sets in, rather than waiting until the following spring or summer.