Home Maintenance Calendar

Download the calendar (Word)

Spring

• Look over the roof from the ground, with binoculars if you have them, for slipped or missing tiles after the winter.
• Check gutters and downpipes are clear and not leaking at the joints.
• Check fences, gates and garden walls after the winter winds.
• Look for damp patches inside, especially below windows and on chimney breasts.
• Make sure air bricks are clear of soil, plants and rubbish.

Summer

• Repaint or treat outside woodwork and metalwork while the weather is dry.
• Check pointing and render for cracks or loose areas.
• Cut back plants and ivy growing on walls, and keep trees near the house in check.
• Check drains and gullies are clear and flowing freely.
• Have chimneys swept before the heating season if you use an open fire or wood burner.

Autumn

• Clear the gutters once the leaves have fallen. This is the most important job of the year.
• Have the boiler serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
• Bleed the radiators and check the heating works before the cold weather.
• Check pipes and tanks in the loft are lagged, and the loft insulation is in place.
• Turn off and drain outside taps, or fit covers.

Winter

• Know where your stopcock is, and check it turns.
• Keep the heating on low if you're away, to stop pipes freezing.
• Check the loft after storms for leaks or daylight through the roof.
• Open windows or use extractor fans to keep condensation down.

All year round

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms every month.
• Look out for new or widening cracks in walls. If you find one, have it checked.
• Deal with small leaks and blocked gutters straight away, before they cause bigger damage.