Autumn Maintenance Jobs Around Your Leisure Home
Autumn maintenance jobs may need to be done as the nights are drawing in and the weather turns colder, windier and wetter. At this time of year, your leisure home could benefit from some essential maintenance checks. We’ve covered this topic in detail before, so here is a quick checklist to guide you.
- Clear guttering
This is an autumn maintenance job that you may need to do several times. Clear all leaves and debris from your gutters and drains. This should prevent later flooding and overflow problems and the potential damage they can cause.
- Check doors and windows
Check the seals and handles on doors and windows. With more rain comes the possibility of minor water damage if window and door seals are not tight. Make any necessary repairs. You may want to add extra insulation in the form of draught excluders or other devices, to keep warm and save energy.
- Secure awnings and outdoor furniture
Higher winds can present a significant hazard if you have outdoor furniture and awnings or other coverings. Secure these or put them away for the winter to stop them being blown around and so avoid potential damage to your leisure home or injury.
- Check underneath your leisure home
It can be a good idea to check the underside of your leisure home at this time of year. Clear any debris that may have worked its way underneath and check for holes or other damage. Rodents and other animals may be looking for warm winter quarters at this time of year so remove any potential nesting material. Again, this may be a maintenance job that you need to do a few times this autumn.
- Check utilities
As the days become shorter and colder, your energy usage tends to go up. It is a good time to book a certified gas engineer and an electrician to check your fuel lines, connections, sockets and appliances. You can make any necessary repairs before the cold really sets in. You can also take the opportunity to have your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms checked and to replace batteries where needed.
- Check plumbing and appliances
This can be a good time to get in a certified plumber to check pipes, insulation, connections, taps and appliances like washing machines and dishwashers. You may prevent a leak or burst pipe later on and save yourself a lot of hassle and expense.
- Check emergency and security lighting
While you have an electrician making checks, it may be worth asking him to look at your lighting. You may want to pay particular attention to emergency and security lighting. In the event of power outages, you may need to rely on these extra lighting systems.
- Ensure clear ventilation channels
Vents may have collected debris during the summer months. Good ventilation is essential to maintain energy efficiency and a healthy interior in your leisure home. Go inside and outside to make sure vents are clear and working well.
If you cannot safely do this work yourself, it might be worth hiring in a good maintenance contractor. Your leisure home management and neighbours may be able to point you in the right direction towards a reliable, good quality maintenance company whose work is guaranteed.
This is a marketing article from My Holiday Home Insurance, a specialist provider of insurance for holiday lodges, holiday homes, leisure homes, holiday chalets and static caravans. Our team of experienced advisers are always happy to help, so for more information call our Northampton office on freephone 0800 988 0890.
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