Getting your home and garden winter-ready

As the days grow shorter and colder, it's time to start thinking about "winterising" your home and garden for the winter months ahead. These may seem like simple steps and checks but a quick check now could save costly repairs now, or in a few winters' time.  Here are some essential things that you should think about inspecting before winter arrives. 

The Outside areas

1. Shut off any outdoor water sources, such as garden hoses and sprinkler systems to prevent freezing and bursting pipes. Don’t forget to insulate any exterior boiler discharge pipes and outdoor taps with bespoke covers to stop them from freezing and causing boiler breakdown, a section of foam pipe insulation will do the job.
2. Clear gutters, downpipes, and drains to ensure they are free of debris so that if we have lots of snow or rain, there won’t be any issues you have to clear in the December cold weather. Leaks left untreated can cause serious damage to your property, so it's important to check that all the pipes are connected properly and draining as they should.
3. Water butts – if you use a water butt then this is the time of year to empty it and give it a rinse to get rid of any algae, you can get greenhouse disinfectant to do this if you wish.
4. Sheds, decking, fences – Check the felt or roof coverings of any outside structures, make sure it’s all fixed down and sound, and check for any loose fence panels or decking, and then choose a nice weekend and give them a good stain / treat for winter to prolong their life.
5. Cracks – Fill in any cracks in garden paths and driveways before the frost arrives, frost damage can make existing cracks bigger and it's good to check Exterior Walls - inspect them for any cracks or holes that could allow water to seep in. Seal any gaps with caulk or weatherproofing sealant to prevent moisture damage and heat loss.
6. Exterior Lighting: Ensure that outdoor lights are in good working condition to provide visibility and safety during the dark winter months. Consider installing motion sensor lights or timers for added security and convenience.

The garden

Gardening is great fun but you do need to put in the effort and Autumn isn’t the time to be putting your feet up just yet! There are a few things you can do and should do (and protect some plants) to ensure your garden is safe and ready for winter, read on below for our recommendations on being the most smug and organised garden owner in Bristol.

1. For any non-frost hardy shrubs or more tropical plants cover the entire shrub and pot with some bubble wrap or garden fleece sacks, easily available online or from your local garden centre. Trim any overhanging branches from trees and shrubs that could potentially damage your roof during winter storms. Remove dead branches and debris from your garden to reduce the risk of accidents and property damage.
2. Give the lawn a good raking and aerating (poking holes to encourage drainage) with either an aerating scarifier if you have a large lawn, or use a hand-held trowel for a smaller lawn, you can then also give the lawn an autumn feed. 
3. Prune certain plants like roses – November is a good time for this. But also it’s good practice to leave some perennials unpruned for wildlife/insects to enjoy as a winter hidey-hole.
4. Feed the birds if you can, leave out some water and food regularly and crack ice on any water bowls.
5. Rake up leaves and add them to a compost pile – leaf mulch makes an amazing compost.
6. Plant bulbs for a spring display – a good tip not to forget where they are is to plant bulbs and then cover the ground around them with a layer of gravel or grit. Eventually, the grit will disappear into the soil but you can just top it up as needed.

Outside furniture

1. Plastic & resin – plastic furniture can become discoloured with algae over winter so it’s a good plan to try and cover them with some plastic sheeting or bespoke covers. Give them a nice scrub with warm soapy water so they are stored away nice and clean. 
2. Wooden furniture may need treating with a specific oil – now is a great time to do it so the oil can soak in well overwinter.
3. For metal & cast-iron furniture you may need to respray them after a while if they are painted. Use a wire brush to get rid of any flakey paint then use a paint spray to get a lovely even finish.

Inside the house

1. Get a boiler service – Getting your boiler serviced if it’s due/overdue before the cold weather hits and boiler breakdowns are common is a good idea to identify any issues before they become a real problem.
2. Sweep any chimneys – Schedule now if you haven't had this done for a while and have an open or gas fire. 
3. Check windows and door seals – If there are any gaps or the sealant has come away, now is a good time to score out and replace it, it’s an easy job and YouTube is always on hand to show how it’s done!
4. Inspect loft – Any leaks or sagging insulation? Water staining?

At Bristol Property Centre we work with a range of property maintenance experts and there’s not much personally we don’t know re property and upkeep so we hope you’ve found this article useful and that it will help to keep your home and garden in shipshape and Bristol fashion. We are always on hand to offer help and advice, give us a call on 0117 907 3577