Warmer months are the best time to tackle outdoor repairs and inspect your property after winter. Here's a practical checklist to work through each spring and summer.
Check Your Roof and Gutters
Winter weather takes a toll on roofs and guttering. In spring, walk around the outside of your property and look for missing or slipped roof tiles, cracked ridge tiles and any sagging or damaged guttering. Blocked gutters overflow and direct water down external walls, leading to damp and damage internally. Clear leaves and debris from gutters and downpipes, check that all joints are watertight, and ensure downpipes are discharging correctly away from the building.
Inspect External Sealants and Pointing
Check the sealant around all ground-floor windows, doors and external pipework. Sealant that has cracked, pulled away or gone black with mould should be replaced before water gets into the wall. Also look at the mortar pointing between bricks on chimney stacks and exposed wall sections — crumbling or missing pointing lets water in and leads to expensive repairs if left. Spring is the ideal time to spot and address these issues before summer rain arrives.
Service Your Boiler and Heating
Spring is an ideal time to book a boiler service — engineers are less busy than in autumn when the heating season begins. An annual service keeps your boiler running efficiently, extends its life and ensures it is safe. While the heating is off for summer, bleed any radiators that underperformed over winter and top up the system pressure if needed. Check thermostatic radiator valves move freely — they can seize if left in a fixed position over summer.
Inspect Fences, Gates and Outbuildings
Walk the boundary of your garden and check fences for rotten posts, broken panels and leaning sections. A fence that fails in a storm can cause damage and may be your responsibility to repair or replace. Check gate hinges and latches for rust or looseness. Inspect any sheds, summerhouses or garden rooms for signs of water ingress, rot at the base of frames or damaged roofing felt. Early intervention is almost always cheaper than a full repair.
Outdoor Taps, Pipes and Drainage
Restore any outdoor taps that were isolated over winter — check for splits in the pipe caused by freezing before fully opening the supply. Pour water down external drains to check they are flowing freely. Clear any blockages from drain grates. If you have a patio or decking, check that surface water is draining away from the house and not pooling against the external wall.
Refresh External Paintwork and Timber
Dry spring and summer weather is the window for external decorating. Check painted timber window frames, soffits, fascias and external doors for cracking, peeling or bare wood. Sand, prime and repaint any areas where the coating has broken down — exposed bare timber rots quickly. External masonry paint on rendered walls should also be inspected for cracks and bare patches where damp could get in.