Your home should be your safe haven and refuge from the stresses of work and daily life, a place to look forward to returning to after a long day. In order for your home to remain a place of comfort it needs to be looked after. Maintaining your property often means that small issues do not have the opportunity to turn into costly repairs and prevent your dream home from turning into a nightmare.

At Avery & Co. we have compiled some top-tips for maintaining your property.

Maintaining your Roof

Check over your roof (from ground level!) and see if you notice any missing, damaged or slipped tiles. If you see any areas that need minor repairs or replacements get it done as soon as possible to prevent any water getting into the property. This will prevent the damage from spreading, resulting in very costly repairs and further damage to your property. It is especially important to make sure this is done before the onset of winter. At the same time, check the flashing which is used on areas such as your chimney stack and against brick work creating a water-tight seal. If you notice any damage or peeling, call a reputable local company to repair. Replacing an entire roof is a costly business so look after the one you have!

Checking Guttering

Have a look and make sure that your guttering is firmly attached to the building. Check for any crack or uncoupling of joints where water can leak through. Blocked gutters due to moss, leaves or even plants that have seeded from birds can cause issues and the results from leaving this unattended can be costly. It can cause your gutters to overflow leading to discolouration of your render or brickwork, damp penetration to the home, cracking of render and rotting woodwork. Having your gutters checked and cleared before winter means that these problems can be avoided. Some local window cleaners offer this service to their customers, or professional gutter clearing companies will also do the job. Try to get recommendations from friends, family or neighbours and do not use people who knock speculatively at your door.

Chimney

Have a look at your chimney and if you notice any cracks or broken joints, have them repaired immediately. Also check that the flashing is secure to stop any further damage to the chimney or your roof. If you are using a real fire, ensure that your chimney is swept and kept clear of any obstruction and is ventilating correctly.

Check Driveways

Check your driveways for any cracking or lifting and repair quickly to prevent injury or further damage. Keep it free from weeds and ensure that bushes or other planting do not infringe on the space.

Look at Floors & Ceilings

The interior of your house needs checking and maintaining too. Keep an eye on your walls to check for any new or large cracks and look out for any warping or distortion in your floors. These are all things that need to be investigated and rectified as soon as they are spotted. Watch for any sagging or signs of discolouration in your ceilings which could indicate water damage or damp. These should be quickly investigated and repaired.

Maintain Gas & Electrical supply and appliances

Any work or updating to your electrical supply should only every be carried out by a qualified electrician. If you see any hot or discoloured fittings, or fuses are regularly blowing, get it checked out by someone who is qualified and registered. Amateur repairs can be dangerous and are not worth risking the safety of you or your family for.  The same applies to all of your gas appliances. These should be checked and serviced regularly by a qualified and Gas Safe Registered engineer who will ensure that things like your boiler, cooker and fire are working correctly reducing the likelihood of any carbon monoxide leaks. Installing a carbon monoxide detector which conforms to BS  7860 will ensure that you are able to detect any problems you may encounter between regular services, giving you peace of mind.

This may seem like a long to do list, however regularly checking your home and finding any minor faults before they become big and costly issues is always worthwhile.  Regular checks do not always lead to regular repairs and doing this will give you continued peace of mind and ensure that your home remains a stress-free retreat.

For all of your surveying needs please do contact Avery & Co. We are fully qualified and registered with The RICS ensuring a professional and independent service for all of our clients. We’d be happy to talk to you about any requirements you may have wherever you are based right across the North West.