Now is the time to undertake maintenance and repairs on your home ready for winter.

The RICS winter property checklist gives some excellent advice on checking your property is ready for the bad weather to come.

This includes checking:

• Roofs –  Inspecting the roof and replace any cracked tiles.
• Lofts – Checking the insulation is in good condition (up to current standard)
• Gutters and drains – Clearing them of leaves and debris.  Overflowing gutters can drench walls and cause damage
• Walls – Checking the pointing – frost can play havoc with poorly maintained walls
• External paving –     Ensure the paving is well drained and avoid water collecting, freezing and causing accidents.
• Decking –  Check that it hasn’t obstructed air bricks and gulleys
• Windows – Check perimeters of all windows to make sure water flows away from glass and doesn’t collect on the sill, or drain behind it
• Doors – Stop draughts through letterboxes by fitting a cover and put a sealant around the door frames
• Floors – Fill gaps between exposed floor boards. Ensure central heating pipework in the ventilated floor voids is insulated (70% of the heat input may be lost if uninsulated)
• Chimney – Check brickwork, have wood and coal burning flues swept.
• Boilers –  Have your boiler serviced. Check your heating system is in order; insulate hot water tanks, and bleed radiators.

While many of these simple tasks can be undertaken safely in the home it is important that people seek the advice of reputable professionals when looking to complete larger jobs.

Contact Thomas Building Services part of Ponds 4U for a FREE quotation today on 01443 841288 / 07832 134176 for all your home maintenance and repairs in Cardiff, Newport, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, Bridgend and surrounding areas of South Wales.

To read more abbout looking after your home for winter visit the RICS website.