Winter Maintenance

Winter Home Maintenance Guide for London Homeowners

Need help with any of these tasks? Our in-house team covers all of NW London.

Preventing frozen pipes

✓Keep heating on at least 12°C even when away for extended periods
✓Insulate all exposed pipes in loft, basement, under floors, and outbuildings
✓Open the loft hatch slightly during severe cold spells to let warm air circulate
✓Let taps drip slightly in extreme cold — moving water is much harder to freeze
✓Locate your stopcock and test it turns freely — a seized stopcock in an emergency is a disaster
✓If going on holiday: drain the entire system or arrange for someone to check daily

✓Burst pipe: turn off the stopcock immediately, switch off heating, call an emergency plumber
✓Boiler failure: check pressure gauge (should be 1–1.5 bar), reset button, then call a heating engineer
✓Power cut: check your consumer unit first; if all well then call UK Power Networks on 105
✓Gas smell: DO NOT use any electrical switches, open all windows, leave the property, call 0800 111 999
✓Keep emergency numbers on the fridge: plumber, electrician, gas emergency, and your insurer
✓Know whether your home insurance includes emergency cover — check before you need it

✓Use a timer — heating the empty house all day wastes money; programme around your schedule
✓Do not block radiators with furniture, sofas, or curtains falling behind them
✓Close curtains at dusk to retain heat — a significant amount escapes through glass
✓If windows show persistent condensation: improve ventilation rather than just wiping it
✓A sudden increase in heating bills may indicate a boiler fault — get it checked
✓Bleed radiators if they have cold patches at the top — this costs nothing and improves efficiency

✓Clear paths, driveways, and steps — you can be liable if someone slips on your property
✓Use salt or grit — not hot water, which refreezes and makes surfaces more dangerous
✓Check flat roofs after heavy snowfall — the weight of snow can exceed design loads
✓Remove heavy snow from conservatory and garage roofs before it thaws and slides
✓Check that gutter downpipes are not frozen — ice in a downpipe causes gutters to overflow

✓January and February are the quietest months for builders — best for getting accurate quotes
✓Architects and designers have more availability in winter — design stages move faster
✓Planning applications submitted now are often decided by late spring, ready for summer start
✓Use the quieter months to research materials, appliances, and finishes without pressure
✓Book popular trades for spring now — spring diaries fill up faster than you expect

Our qualified, insured team handles all of these seasonal tasks. Clear pricing with no hidden costs.