The Twenty-Minute Autumn Checklist
Six things that prevent the callouts we get every January.
Our January is mostly frozen pipes, failed outdoor taps and fence panels that were already loose in October. Almost all of it is preventable in an afternoon.
Isolate and Drain the Outside Tap
The single most common winter callout. Find the isolation valve inside, close it, then open the outside tap and leave it open. Water left in the pipe expands when it freezes and splits the fitting, which you discover in spring when it soaks the wall.
Check the Fence Before the Wind Does
Push each post firmly at shoulder height. Any that move noticeably will not survive the first proper gale, and replacing one post in October costs a fraction of replacing four panels and a fence line in February.
Clear the Gutters, Then Watch Them Rain
Clearing is half the job. The other half is looking during actual rainfall to see where it overflows — that tells you about the fall of the gutter, which no amount of scooping will fix.
Bleed the Radiators, Top Up the Pressure
Cold at the top and warm at the bottom means air. Bleed from the furthest radiator back, then check the boiler pressure afterwards, because bleeding drops it.
Test the RCD
The test button on your consumer unit. It should trip instantly. If it does not, that is not a job to leave until something goes wrong.
Look at the Loft Hatch
Draught-proofing a loft hatch takes fifteen minutes and stops a surprising amount of heat loss. It is also when you notice the tank has no jacket, which is the other January callout.