During this season of “mists and mellow fruitfulness”, it’s worth taking some time to prepare your home for the colder, darker months ahead.
Here are our 7 Top Tips for Autumn-Proofing your home.
- Check For Draughts
Before you crank up the heating to keep out the chill, eliminating draughts could save you pounds on your energy bill. Ill fitting windows are often the chink in your home’s draught-excluding armour. A great way to check them is with a lit candle, Wee Willy Winky Style (take care if you have curtains and make sure they are well out of the way!) If the candle flickers, you’ve located the draught and can take action.
- Batteries And Bulbs
If like me, you’re a child of the 60’s or 70’s you’ll remember how regular power cuts became a normal part of life in the Winter. Even though power cuts are more of a rarity (thank goodness) the Scouting motto “Be Prepared” is worth keeping in mind. Stock up now on spare batteries for your torch, radio and clock and … remember where you’ve put them, so that they’re easy to find should all the lights suddenly go out.
Speaking of which ….. When light-bulbs die, they go with no warning – just a flash and a pop, and you’re plunged into darkness as the spent light-bulb often trips the electrics at the same time. Don’t get caught out. Keeping a handy stock of the light-bulbs you need for your lamps will save you time and hassle later.
- Deter Spiders
This may be a controversial one as I know that these spindly legged little scuttlers are “our friends” as they despatch other creepy crawlies. They provide a sort of natural pest control service as they trap and eat flies, mosquitoes and even cockroaches. Good to know, but if you’re as squeamish about the spindly legged ones as I am, there are some great ways of deterring them, naturally, thanks to Country Living Magazine.
Click on the link here to read the article.
- Install A Dehumidifier
Moisture in the air can be a big problem indoors during Autumn and Winter. If the air in your home is too moist, it can lead to condensation, air-borne allergens, damp on walls and in cupboards and wardrobes and even mould growth. When the outside temperature drops, it’s not practical to air your home thoroughly, so investing in a dehumidifier will really help. During the colder months of the year, we run two dehumidifiers at home for a few hours a day – one in the utility room and the other in a north-facing spare room. The difference they make is almost immediate, eliminating condensation and creating a drier, more comfortable environment.
To help you decide which dehumidifier would be best for your home, you might find this article from those helpful people at SAGA of interest.
- Clean And Protect
Imagine relaxing at home one evening this Autumn, cosying up on your beautifully clean sofa with a cup of hot chocolate or a glass of red wine. Then … disaster strikes as your drink spills …. everywhere!! Or Rover forgets to wipe his paws after that muddy Autumn walk. No need to panic though, if you opted to have a protective treatment applied to your carpets and furniture within the past couple of years or so. Just grab a towel or some kitchen roll and blot, blot, blot at the spill until all the residue has been removed and then resume your relaxing evening. Result!! A good quality protective treatment, applied when the item is new, or when it is professionally cleaned, will not only repel spills, meaning they’re less likely to stain, but make day to day soiling easier to remove too.
- Check Your Smoke Alarm
Power cut or not, most homes use candles around the home for mood lighting and to scent the air. We always call this time of year “Candle Season” as it’s when the phone calls begin asking how to remove candle wax from carpets, rugs and sofas. However, we’d rather those phone calls than the ones asking sadly for advice on smoke damage. Test your smoke alarm now (please tell me that you have one ..) and if necessary change the batteries. Most smoke alarms now start to squeal when the batteries are running out, but why risk it?
- Clear The Clutter
A change of season is the perfect time to have a big sort out and tidy. Not only is keeping your home clean is so much easier when it’s tidy, but those “spindly legged crawlers” mentioned earlier, that see your home as a haven from the weather, have nowhere to hide!
You’ll find lots of tips online to help such as these but my personal top is not to become overwhelmed by the task. Just concentrate on one room – or even one area (such as a cupboard or drawer) of a room – at a time, before you move on to the next.
Let us know if you’ve found our “How to Autumn-Proof Your Home – Our Top 7 Tips” useful and if you have any top tips of your own to share. We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line on the link below.
Call our team today on 0115 9894443
or email nicepeople@ag-chemdry.co.uk
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