We share our top home maintenance tips, discuss why you need a house maintenance checklist and share some tips on staying safe while doing DIY.
Why is it important to maintain your home?
There are lots of reasons it's important to keep your property in good shape:
- It’s usually quicker, easier and cheaper to deal with small issues early instead of fixing bigger problems later. For example, replacing a broken roof tile straight away to prevent a leak in your attic later.
- If you spot issues before they get worse, you have more control over repairs and the cost of them.
- Your insurer expects you to keep your home in good nick. That's because home insurance is only there to cover unexpected events. It doesn't cover damage caused by wear or tear, or if the home hasn't been looked after properly.
Plus, it just means you can keep things running smoothly all year round.
Maintaining your home all year long
The best home maintenance tip is to stay proactive. This is where a checklist can come in handy.
We recommend making a monthly and seasonal to-do list to keep on top of looking after your home.
This can help reduce the chances of problems or even invalidating your home insurance.
Monthly maintenance checklist
Monthly, we recommend:
- testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
- checking your boiler pressure
- checking seals around baths and sinks for leaks
- cleaning humid, mould-prone areas
- checking your plumbing for leaks, dripping or signs of rust
But you can do most maintenance seasonally.
If you don't feel safe or comfortable enough to do any of these jobs on your own, call in the professionals.
Remember, you should always call an expert for any electrical work or if you’re installing any gas appliances.
Seasonal home maintenance checklist
Different seasons bring different weather, which can affect our homes.
Here are some maintenance tips and tricks for each season to help protect your home, whatever the weather.
Spring
- Clear your gutters – remove debris from gutters and drains, and check that water is flowing freely. Read our guide to gutter cleaning.
- Check the roof – after winter, make sure your roof and chimney are in good shape. Look for missing tiles or signs of wear. You could also get a professional to check it.
- Tidy up the garden - spring is a good time to clear debris and check fences and gates for damage or wear. Most home insurers won’t cover your gate or fence in a storm, so it’s important to check on them and make sure they’re secure.
- Protect wooden windows and doors – check that the paint or varnish is still holding, seal any gaps, and wipe down surfaces to remove dirt and stop rot.
- Check your air bricks – make sure they’re clear and air can flow, as this helps reduce condensation and prevents damp and rot.
Summer
- Check and trim trees – loose branches and tall trees can cause damage in storms, so cut them back while the weather’s good. If it’s unsafe or you can’t do it yourself, hire a professional tree surgeon.
- Look for pests - pest damage tends to peak in the warmer months. Read our article on how to remove pests in your home.
- Ventilate your home - summer’s a good time to open windows and ventilate your house. It helps prevent mould, too.
- Check your outside walls – sunny days are a great time to spot cracks, movement, damp patches, crumbling mortar or vegetation growth from ground level.
Autumn
- Service your boiler – book a yearly service with a gas engineer to keep it working safely and efficiently. Organising this in autumn means it’ll be prepared for winter.
- Check your insulation – this helps reduce heating costs in winter. While you’re there, make sure it’s evenly spread and free from damp, mould or discolouration.
- Seal window and wall cracks - sort this before winter to help keep your house warm and prevent damp or mould.
- Bleed radiators – do this at least once a year to help keep warm water circulating and your central heating working. It’s better to bleed radiators in autumn when it’s milder.
- Insulate your pipes – get this done in early autumn to protect pipes in cold or outdoor areas from freezing and bursting.
Winter
- Check your pipes - taking proactive measures is the best way to prevent burst pipes. Read more about how to prevent escape of water damage.
- Ventilate regularly - even though it’s cold, airing out rooms occasionally when you’re at home is the best way to prevent mould.
- Clean your drains - it’s easy to prevent blocked drains. Usually, you’ll only need a drain unblocker but sometimes, you’ll need to do more. That’s where our drain unblocking guide comes in handy!
- Store or secure garden items – at the end of autumn, bring furniture indoors or secure it with straps or weights. This includes BBQs, outdoor toys and trampolines.
Preparing for DIY
If you need to take on any DIY, here are a few things to consider before you get stuck in.
Call a professional if you’re unsure
Don’t try to do anything you’re not comfortable with. If you’re not prepared or unsure if you can do it safely, call a professional.
If any of your friends or family are handy with tools, you could ask them to help you and teach you some techniques along the way.
Dress properly for the task
Wear old clothes that you’re comfortable getting messy and stained, especially if you’re working with paint, plaster and varnish.
Avoid wearing loose-fitting or floaty clothing, as it can get trapped in tools and machinery and lead to injuries. This also goes for long hair and jewellery.
Ideally, wear safety goggles and protective gloves where needed.
Don’t be afraid of bathroom or kitchen DIY
Most of us leave bathrooms and kitchens to the professionals, but it’s possible to do your own plumbing or tiling if you feel you have the skills for it.
Speak to an expert before you get started, like someone in your local hardware or plumbing store.
Start small and do your research before you begin. If in doubt, contact a qualified tradesperson when dealing with electricity and water.
Check your home insurance
Always read your home insurance documents before starting big jobs. Tell your insurer if you’re planning major work, as it could affect your cover or even your ability to claim.
If you’re with us, your policy book explains what’s covered and what isn’t.
