Start With the Heating, Before You Need It

Autumn evenings have a habit of arriving before we are ready. One week you are eating outside, the next you are reaching for a jumper and wondering why the radiators are making that noise. The trick is to test everything while the weather is still mild, when a fault is an inconvenience rather than a crisis.

• Book a boiler service early. Engineers fill their diaries quickly from late September onwards, so arrange yours in early autumn rather than the first cold snap.
• Bleed your radiators. If the top of a radiator is cold while the bottom is warm, there is air trapped inside. Use a radiator key, hold a cloth underneath, and close the valve as soon as water dribbles out steadily.
• Check the thermostatic valves. Twist each one from low to high a couple of times. They seize if left in one position all summer, and a stuck valve means a room you cannot control.
• Run the heating for twenty minutes on a mild day. You will quickly spot cold spots, odd smells or a boiler that refuses to fire, and you still have time to sort it.

While you are at it, set your thermostat to suit you rather than the weather outside. Most homes sit comfortably between 18°C and 21°C, and turning it down a degree while wearing a proper jumper saves more than you might expect over a winter.

Stop the Draughts That Steal Your Warmth

A small home loses heat quickly through the gaps you barely notice in summer. Deal with them now and the whole house feels calmer, because a room without a cold draught feels warmer even at the same temperature.

• Fit draught excluders or brush strips to external doors, and add letterbox brushes and a keyhole cover if your front door is exposed.
• If you have an open fireplace you never use, a chimney balloon stops a surprising amount of cold air pouring down.
• Seal gaps around pipework under sinks and where services enter the house.
• Keep furniture clear of radiators so heat circulates rather than soaking into the back of a sofa.
• Close curtains at dusk and consider thermal linings, particularly on older windows and patio doors.

Clear the Gutters Before the Leaves Fall

Water is the quiet destroyer of small homes. A blocked gutter sends rainwater down the wall, into the brickwork and eventually towards your damp course. Clear them in late September, before the bulk of the leaves come down, then check them once more after the first windy week of October.

• Remove leaves and debris from gutters, downpipes and the gully outside your kitchen or back door.
• Check drain covers are clear so paths do not flood during heavy rain.
• Empty and store hosepipes, and lag or isolate outdoor taps before the first frost.
• Give garden furniture a quick check for loose joints, and treat any bare wood before it sits wet all winter.

If you have a water butt, make sure it is topped up and the tap is working. Autumn rain is free water for next spring, and it is far easier to collect now than to carry cans from the kitchen in July.

Bring the Soft Furnishings Indoors

Outdoor cushions, throws, parasols and seat pads are not designed to sit through a British winter. Bring them in on a dry, breezy day so they are properly aired rather than damp.

• Brush off debris and check seams and zips for wear before storing.
• Wash removable covers according to their labels, and dry them thoroughly — a faint smell of damp is a sign they went away too soon.
• Store cushions in breathable cotton bags or a ventilated crate rather than sealed plastic, which traps moisture and encourages mould.
• Clean and cover the barbecue, and store parasols upright or flat rather than leaning where they can warp.

Do this well and next spring you will simply carry everything back out, rather than replacing cushions that spent the winter going green in a shed.

Light for Darker Evenings

The clocks change, the afternoons shrink, and suddenly your home is lit by one overhead bulb that makes everything look slightly clinical. A few small changes make a large difference to how autumn feels indoors.

• Swap to warm white LED bulbs, around 2700K, in the rooms where you relax.
• Use table and floor lamps in corners to create pools of light rather than one bright ceiling.
• Add timer plugs to lamps in hallways and living rooms so you come home to a lit house rather than a dark one.
• Clean windows and keep sills clear, and hang a mirror opposite a window if a room feels gloomy.

A single comfortable chair with a lamp beside it, a blanket within reach and a small table for a mug is enough to turn an unused corner into the best seat in the house.

Keep the Air Moving to Avoid Damp

As windows close and heating comes on, condensation appears on cold glass and in corners behind furniture. Left alone, it becomes mould and a lingering musty smell.

• Use extractor fans in the bathroom and kitchen, and leave them running for a few minutes after a shower or cooking.
• Open trickle vents or air a room for ten minutes each morning, even when it is cold outside.
• Dry laundry outdoors where possible, or use a well-ventilated room with a dehumidifier rather than draping it over radiators.
• Wipe condensation from windows and keep a small gap between furniture and external walls.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and replace the batteries if they are due.

None of this takes a weekend. An hour on the heating, an afternoon on the gutters, and a basket of cushions carried indoors is usually all it takes. Do it once and autumn becomes what it should be: darker outside, warmer in, and quietly comfortable.