Last week I posted an article about seasonal home maintenance : spring & summer. Now is the part 2 for the season : autumn & winter.

Autumn

* Leaves, leaves and more leaves. The trees turning golden may be a beautiful sight but when the leaves fall, they fill up gutters, go into stormwater pits and drains in your garage. Any external drains are at risk from leaves and other organic matter, particularly when the rain starts. They can cause blockages in pipes causing water to back up and do potentially a lot of damage inside your home.

* Autumn is a dormant period in the garden and it’s a good time to look at re-doing the mulch on your garden beds.

* In early autumn, when the temperatures can still be quite mild, it’s a good time to clean the ducts in your ducted heating system to get ready for the first chilly night. Consult your instruction manual for the frequency of service required. This is routine maintenance that can avoid nasty clouds of dust blowing into your home after a prolonged period of disuse. It’s also a good idea to clean out your window tracks and ledges of dust.

* If you’re moving in now, it’s probably not the best time to be looking at your garden beds. The key is to make sure no water puddles next to the home. This can be achieved by grading the soil away from the home. Don’t try to stockpile soil for the spring – weeds will grow in it. It’s best to buy fresh topsoil from a nursery when you’re ready to start planting.

* This is the time when you should install weather seals to external doors, to keep out draughts and water during the wetter months. Homes that were built under five star energy provisions will have these as standard features.

* If you’ve had light curtains up during the summer, swapping them for a heavier weight fabric, will give you a greater insulation benefit.

Winter

* Everyone hates doing work around the home in winter, so you’ll be very sorry now if you haven’t followed our tips for the other seasons. Winter brings its share of hazards and the last thing you want is a blocked pipe. It’s a messy job to clear leaves and other matter, especially during winter rains.

* If you haven’t serviced your heater you could find it is not as efficient as it could be, resulting in higher energy bills.

* All those weather seals now come into their own. Draughts are not only bad for your health, but your pocket as well, with all that lovely heat literally flowing out of your home. Make a quick check in your ceiling to see if any duct work has come loose or fallen.

* If you are using open fire places, always use a fireguard to protect your kids and stop embers popping out to scorch your floors. Any flames need your constant vigilance, especially around children.

* If you’re moving into a home in winter and don’t have your driveway finished, there is help to stop you dragging mud into your pristine new home. A couple of metres of crushed rock, sourced from your local nursery, makes an effectively and inexpensive temporary path.

* In the garden, check for weeds and keep lawns under control. Look for areas in the garden that seem “over wet”. This could be because of a blocked pipe, sprinkler fittings that are leaking or just a low spot that may require an agricultural drain to be fitted.

* If you bring your washing indoors, make sure your dryer is adequately vented. Wipe down any condensation from the inside of windows or in your laundry. This is an issue with new homes in particular, where moisture is still coming out of the natural products that make up your home.