Winter Maintenance: Top Tips For The Owners Of Period & Character Homes

Those people who live in older properties must take care to prepare their homes for the harsh winter months. Geoff Isitt, a Partner of Carter Jonas and an expert in the renovation and maintenance of period and character buildings, offers his advice:

Outdoors

1. Check that your roof is fully watertight, re-fixing any slipped or missing tiles and removing vegetation that may be growing in masonry, particularly chimneys. Leaving these items unfixed will result in frost damage to walls and will also allow penetrating damp.
2. Cut back vegetation around the perimeter of your home to allow air to freely circulate. Ground levels should be at least 100mm, and preferably 150mm, below internal floor level to reduce the chances of penetrating or rising damp.
3. Clean your gutters at least once a year. Where there are overhanging trees this will need to be done even more regularly.
4. Check rainwater pipes. Where you have cast iron pipes, tap them to see whether they are functioning properly – a dull sound means they are blocked and a bright ringing sound means that they are in satisfactory condition.
5. Clean gullies and consider fitting covers over open drains to stop leaves and debris accumulating.
6. Switch off and drain outside taps and insulate any exposed pipe work.

Indoors

1. Check attic spaces and tanks. Is there any insulation between the joists and are water tanks fitted with lids and properly insulated, including the surrounding pipe work?
2. Ensure your central heating boiler has been serviced and that all radiators are in full working order. Often radiators need to be ‘de-sludged’ or vented to remove a build up of gasses.
3. Consider fitting thermostatic radiator valves to have a better control over the heating of your home. Your heating engineer can advise on where these should be fitted. You cannot fit these radiator valves on all radiators in the building.
4. If you are intending to leave your home for any length of time, turn the water supply off and drain the tanks. Ensure that you have adequate insurance cover.
5. If you are going away for a few days and know that there is going to be a cold spell, leave the central heating on a low setting or ensure that you have a frost stat fitted so that the pipes do not freeze.
6. Finally, remember to make a list of trusted tradesmen and advisers who can solve problems properly when an emergency arises. Planned maintenance will solve long-term problems, but little emergencies are always at the behest of the great British weather!

Geoff IsittMRICS

Partner

Geoff carries out building surveys and schedules of condition on commercial and residential property, as well as project managing property refurbishment and fit-outs of commercial buildings.  Geof...

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Geoff carries out building surveys and schedules of condition on commercial and residential property, as well as project managing property refurbishment and fit-outs of commercial buildings.  Geoff's specialisms include building conservation and the educational sector.  Outside work, Geoff is keen on most things outdoors - he’s more enthusiastic than competent as a sailor, organizes local junior rugby, and keeps a motorbike and chickens.  His main interest is buildings.

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