Homeowners warned that these six things need to be checked before winter

As fall approaches, HaMuch founder and CEO Tarquin Purdie has revealed six things homeowners should check before temperatures drop even lower as we head into the cold winter months.

He said: “It can be easy to neglect our homes during the warm summer months, but September is definitely the time to take action, even though the days are quite long and the temperature isn’t dropping yet.

“Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to property maintenance and money, the last thing you want is for the boiler to be packed away in the middle of winter.

“One task in particular can save you thousands of pounds and that’s checking for Japanese knotweed. In the winter months it tends to die back, like most plants, which can make it difficult to spot and give the impression that you’re knotweed. It’s free.

“This is simply not the case as it continues to spread below the surface and neglecting it until next spring can significantly reduce the value of your home.”

Six things all homeowners should check this fall

Boiler and radiator condition

Now is the ideal time to check the condition of your boiler and radiator, as waiting for the cold winter months can leave you without heat in these freezing temperatures.

To start your boiler and radiator inspection, you should start by going around the house and draining all the radiators to make sure they are working properly and efficiently.

After this, it’s time to book your boiler in for a health check, which usually costs around £100, and if a fault is found, repairs can cost a further £100 to £800 depending on the severity.

This may seem like an unnecessary expense, but it’s nothing compared to the costs you’ll face if unchecked problems are allowed to fester, with replacement boilers costing around £2,750 and faulty boilers thought to reduce the value of your home by an average of -1.9%.

Insulation, windows and doors

Along with the boiler inspection, it’s also time to check your home’s insulation, check the loft and wall insulation, and make sure that the windows and doors are in good condition, as this will significantly improve the energy efficiency of our property and thus the household bills.

For windows, you need to keep an eye out for cracks and general wear and tear in the frames, especially if they are wooden. Even in newer windows, it is worth checking that the ventilation openings are working properly.

Tarquin has also emphasized that it is important to check the insulation of the water pipe and the boiler so that valuable heat is not lost at the source.

You may need to spend around £200-£300 to have all these things professionally inspected and fixed, but this is a fraction of what you will pay in energy and repair costs if they are allowed to deteriorate.

Moisture and mold

Moisture and mold are serious problems at home. Not only do they cause potential structural problems if left unattended, they are also terrible for your health, and the longer they are left, the more expensive it will be to fix this problem.

For minor damp and mold problems, damp treatment costs around £175 and mold remediation £300 per room. If you don’t address these issues, moisture and mold 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 is a cash loss of -£21,594.

Masonry and gutters

Before the winter rains arrive, it’s important to check your home’s exterior brickwork, if it’s flawed or incomplete, it can let water in and become a serial problem. Tarquin suggests that if there are any problems, it’s worth paying for professional repointing, which should cost £55 per square metre.

And when you’re out and about, take a moment to check your gutters and downspouts for leaves and other debris that can cause blockages, and replace any cracked pipes along the way.

Roof

Cracked or missing tiles can cause major problems for your home, from water ingress to heat loss and even dangerous structural issues. The inspection should cost around £250, but it’s incredibly money well spent.

Japanese knotweed

Knotweed is one of the UK’s most invasive and destructive plants and is the stuff of nightmares for homeowners, especially those planning to sell their home in the next few years.

Getting rid of Japanese Knotweed quickly is key, as the longer it is left, the more destructive and expensive it becomes. It usually costs around £1,000-£2,000 to remove this invasive plant, but this is a much better option than leaving it alone.

During the winter months, Japanese knotweed goes dormant, when the plant itself dies back to ground level and turns brown. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s gone though, the underground rhizomes remain active and continue to spread, meaning it’s vital to remove it before winter rather than waiting until next spring or summer.