How to do your own winter home inspection & maintenance

Whether you’re getting ready to sell over winter, selling after the cold season’s over, or are just keen to have your home warm, comfy, and low-maintenance over winter, now is a great time to do your own winter home inspection and maintenance.

While the Auckland weather can’t seem to make up its mind about the season currently, we do still have the odd day of sunshine – so take advantage of it by getting out and giving the outside of your home a once-over, before heading inside and looking at what aspects of your home are most likely to be affected by the dampness and cold that winter brings.

Here’s a few things you should cover in your winter home inspection and maintenance:

Get your flue cleaned: Before you’re ready to use the fireplace, make sure it’s cleared of all the soot from last year. This will help keep it nice and warm – plus you may void your home insurance if your flue or fireplace isn’t swept every year.
Change your heat pump/air con filter: People tend to forget to clean the filters on their heat pump at the end of winter, so yours likely still has quite a bit left in it from last year – not to mention the pollen from over summer. Give it a clean to make sure that the air it’s pumping through your home is clean and healthy.
Clear the leaves out of your gutters: Whether you’re selling or not, leaves in the gutters aren’t a great look – and can cause a whole heap of problems in heavy rain, especially if you have internal type gutters. Prep ahead by clearing out your gutters and downpipes for anything that might obstruct water moving easily through them. You may want to consider installing a gutter guard product if there are large trees near your home.
Clean out your extractor fan ducts: How long has it been since you cleaned the extractor fan in your bathroom? Is it still effectively removing dampness? Make sure it will over winter by giving it a good clean. If your bathroom doesn’t have a fan, it may be a good time to install one.
Invest in insulation: There are few things more frustrating than being cold inside your own home. If you’re sick of that, then insulation is one of the best ways to help your home stay warm and comfortable. And as an added bonus, it can add real value when it comes time to sell.
Keep an eye on leaks and mould: If you’ve already got the odd leak, or can see mould growing on your ceiling, now’s the time to take action. Whether it’s repairs to your roof that are needed, better ventilation, or even bigger issues, why not find out now, before winter really hits or before you sell?

Whether you’re ready to sell or are looking at buying a home, getting a home inspection report can let you know what areas of a home most need maintenance before and during winter. Get in touch today for a free quote.