Autumn jobs before the cold arrives

Autumn is the time to make the house ready for the cold: clear the guttering, add loft insulation, lag exposed pipes and check that the heating can do the job. It is also a good time to sow or feed the lawn, while the soil is still warm and the rain returns. Each job needs a quantity, and it is cheaper and easier to order in September than in the first cold snap.

The planner goes from the outside in: guttering and the lawn first, then the loft and the pipes, then the heating.

Step 1: Clear the guttering

Leaves block gutters and downpipes, and the overflow soaks the wall. Clear them once most of the leaves have fallen, check the brackets and joints, and use a ladder that is the right height, on firm ground.

Step 2: Sow and feed the lawn

Early autumn is a good time for new grass: the soil is warm, and there is rain. Rake out the moss and thatch, level the ground and sow at the rate on the packet, or lay turf for a bigger repair.

Step 3: Top up the loft insulation

Heat rises, so the loft is the first place to look. Compare the depth you have with the depth now recommended, work out how many rolls make up the difference, and keep the insulation clear of eaves vents.

Step 4: Lag the pipes

Pipes in the loft, the garage and under the floor are the ones that freeze. Measure the runs and lag them, including the cold water tank pipework, to reduce heat loss and the risk of a burst.

Step 5: Check the heating

Bleed the radiators, check the boiler is serviced, and look at whether each room has the right size of radiator. If you are thinking of a wood burner, or a new boiler, size it properly before you buy.

Before you start

• The roof, loft and downpipe positions, and a safe ladder.
• The depth of existing loft insulation and any vents at the eaves.
• A list of exposed pipes in unheated spaces.
• The boiler service date, and a Gas Safe registered engineer for any gas work.
• A fuel plan if you use a wood burner: seasoned logs, stored dry.

Mistakes that cost people money

• Clearing the gutters too early, before the leaves have fallen.
• Covering the eaves vents with loft insulation, which causes damp.
• Leaving the pipes in an unheated space without lagging.
• Sowing grass seed in a cold, wet spell, or after the first frost.
• Doing gas or electrical work that needs a registered engineer.

Frequently asked questions