Whether you are working from home, furloughed, or carrying on (almost) as normal, it is likely that you will be home more over the next month or so, which is a great opportunity for you to get your home ship-shape by doing all those niggling jobs that you mean to do each year, but which always end up at the bottom of the list. Read on for inspiration on jobs that you can do during Lockdown II.
In the house
- Bleed your radiators. Traditional central heating is pretty simple: your radiators are filled with water, which is heated up by the boiler. If your radiators seem to be hot at the bottom but cooler at the top, this could be down to air in the radiator. It is easy to bleed your radiator yourself or contact your local plumber for advice. The difference in heating efficiency will be instant.
- Get your boiler serviced. This should be something that you do every year. if you haven’t done it yet, call your local gas engineer now.
- Sweep your chimneys – another job that should be done at least once a year; contact your local chimney sweep and book it in ASAP.
- Ventilate – if condensation is a problem in your home, you could end up in a vicious cycle: you want to heat your home, but the heating causes condensation, so you open a window, which causes the room to cool, so you switch the heating on… If this is an annual battle, get it fixed while you have the chance! Contact a damp specialist about installing some kind of ventilation, or invest in a dehumidifier.
Outside the house
- Clear your gutters – autumn may be a beautiful month, but those golden leaves aren’t so beautiful when they are blocking your gutters. Blocked or damaged guttering can lead to poor drainage, which can result in damp; get your gutters cleared and checked by a professional to prevent potentially serious issues.
- Clear debris – leaves, fallen fruit, storm debris should all be cleared away before they start to rot on your lawn. Compost them or use them as mulch in beds.
- Mow the lawn – wait for a dry day to do your final mow of the year. If your lawn is longer than usual, don’t be tempted to go straight for the short winter length, mow in two phases. If your mower isn’t up to the job, consider hiring a gardener to get your garden looking tidy for the winter.
- Cover up furniture – if you don’t have space to store garden furniture inside, cover it up to protect it from the elements. If you have summer accessories such as large barbecues or a hot tub that you are unlikely to use later in the year, now is the time to clean them down and pack them away for winter.
Government guidelines state that, even during lockdown, you can have traders to do work in your home unless you are isolating or feeling unwell. By asking a local trader for support you can get all of your dreaded jobs done and support your local economy, too. For more tips and advice, follow Trust A Trader on Facebook or Twitter.