When the evenings draw in and there’s a distinct chill in the air every morning, you know that autumn is on the way, if not already here. Each season brings its own challenges and tasks, with autumn being the time to tidy up after the summer and to prepare for winter. Here are the essential tasks you need to carry out during the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.
Clean your guttering
While the piles of russet leaves on the ground can be great fun to kick through, the piles that land in your gutters can have you kicking yourself if they cause a blockage leading to an overflow during the winter. Get your ladder, your hose and a soft brush and clean the guttering, making sure that water can flow freely through your downpipe.
Pack up your patio
It’s tempting to leave your patio set out all winter, just in case you fancy a hot chocolate in the snow but in reality, your furniture will get covered in debris and damp, shortening its lifespan. Give everything a quick clean-over, make sure it’s all dried off and store them in your shed or garage, covered in cloths for extra protection.
Tuck up your plants
Once you’ve trimmed off all your deadheads and pruned back shrubs and bushes, it’s time to add a layer of mulch to your flower beds. This mulch acts as a blanket, keeping delicate roots warm over the winter so that these plants will be ready to spring (sorry) into action the following year.
Check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Don’t wait until you hear the chirp of a dying battery to check your soke and CO alarms. Ideally, you should be testing your smoke alarm once a month and replacing your batteries every six months. This tasks only take a few minutes and could save your lives, so carry them out whenever you change the clocks in autumn and spring.
Organise your garage
If you’ve had a busy summer of DIY, then your garage might need some TLC. Go through your tins, bottles, jars and tubs to see if any need to go to the recycling or disposal centre, clean up your tools, look for any damp patches in dark corners and tune up your lawnmower.
Book a boiler service
After a long hot summer, your boiler is about to be pressed into action once more and so you should have it inspected to make sure it’s in good working order. It’s the law of the land that your boiler will fail during the coldest day of December if you don’t get it serviced. Fact.
