None of it takes long. A blocked gutter, a boiler that limped through the summer or a pipe left unlagged in the loft is a ten-minute fix in September and an emergency call-out in January.
Start with the heating
Have your boiler serviced before you need it every day. Most manufacturers ask for a service every year to keep the warranty valid, and an engineer who looks at it in early autumn can order a part before the cold weather makes everyone else call too.
Any work on a gas boiler, gas fire or gas cooker must be done by an engineer on the Gas Safe Register. That is the law, not a recommendation. Ask to see their Gas Safe ID card, and check the card number on the Gas Safe Register website before they start.
Two jobs you can do yourself: bleed any radiator that is cold at the top and warm at the bottom, and on a combi boiler, check the pressure gauge against the range printed in the manual. If the pressure keeps dropping, that is a job for an engineer.
Clear the gutters and downpipes
Falling leaves block gutters, and a gutter that overflows pours water down the face of the wall, which is how damp patches start inside. Clear them once most of the leaves are down, and run water through each downpipe to check it drains.
A bungalow gutter from a stable ladder is a reasonable DIY job. Anything above the first floor, or on a roof you would have to lean over, is work at height and worth booking.
Look at the roof from the ground
Stand back from the house, on both sides, and look for slipped or cracked tiles, gaps in the ridge, and flashing that has lifted around the chimney. Autumn storms find every weak point, and a slipped tile found now costs far less than a stained ceiling found later. Do not climb onto the roof to look.
The quick checks
- Turn off and drain outside taps, and fit an insulated cover.
- Lag exposed pipes in the loft, garage and any unheated space.
- Find your stopcock and check it turns. A seized stopcock is useless in a burst.
- Test every smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm, and replace old batteries.
- Draught-proof doors and letterboxes before the heating goes on.
- Have the chimney swept before the first fire of the season.
A seized stopcock is useless in a burst, and you only find out it has seized when you need it.
If something goes wrong
If you smell gas, do not use switches or flames, open the windows, turn the gas off at the meter if you can, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. It is free and open all day, every day.
For a burst pipe, turn the water off at the stopcock first, then turn off the electrics if water is near sockets or light fittings, then book a plumber.
Booking the jobs you do not want to do
Book early: from October, heating engineers and roofers fill up fast. On TEKTO CNCT you see each tradesperson's rate before you book, the first hour is held in escrow rather than charged, and any extra time or parts are shown to you and approved before they are added.
An hour of checks in September is the cheapest insurance your home will get all year. Do the quick jobs yourself, book the gas, roof and height work with someone verified, and go into winter knowing where the stopcock is.
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