Winter-proofing London property: the October checklist
The eight jobs that prevent ninety per cent of winter emergency callouts.
Every January our emergency board tells the same story: frozen condensate pipes, burst supplies in cold lofts, gutters that finally surrendered. Almost all of it was preventable in October.
Start at the top. Gutters and downpipes blocked with autumn leaf-fall will overflow in the first sustained rain, and in London's terraces that water usually finds a parapet junction or a window head. A clearance visit costs a fraction of the redecoration it prevents. While access is up there, have slipped slates, cracked fillets and flashings checked — small defects become ceiling stains under winter rain.
Next, the heating system. Boilers fail on the first cold weekend of the year because that is the first time they work hard. An autumn service catches weak components before the December queue forms. Bleed radiators, check the system pressure, and if the boiler is a condensing model, insulate the external condensate pipe — the single cheapest fix for the most common winter breakdown in the country.
Water is the other threat. Lag any pipework in lofts, garages and unheated voids. Find the stopcock, make sure it turns, and make sure the tenants know where it is: the difference between a damp cupboard and a collapsed ceiling is usually response time. In empty properties, keep background heat on or drain the system down.
Finally, walk the outside. Overhanging branches, loose aerials and tired fence panels all become projectiles or leaks in a named storm. Ten minutes of looking prevents most of it.
GEM subscribers have this checklist run for them as planned autumn maintenance, with photographs filed against each property. For everyone else: print it, book the trades early, and enjoy a quieter winter.