Enter the Autumn

Preparing your property this autumn

The weather has finally turned and the last few days of showers have reminded us that those long, hot days of summer are over until next year. For Advanced Property Care, this tends to mean a flurry of helping our clients make sure their homes are winter-ready. This is especially important for second homes or holiday properties, where perhaps - despite, or maybe even because, of the Covid19 pandemic - owners might decide to take a winter break. We are lucky in Gibraltar that our winters are mild, and we can so often enjoy warm, sunny afternoons on the terrace, and then cosy up indoors against the chill of evening.

Here are some of the jobs that we have under way for clients at the moment, and that we recommend you make sure are carried out in your home or investment property before those winter storms really do get going:

Get your heating system checked

Whatever your heating system and even if you have a combined cooling / heating system, it’s worth getting it checked over by a qualified technician before you start needing to ramp up the temperature indoors. Systems that use warm air circulation need to have the filters cleaned and checked regularly - these can harbour harmful bacteria and cause illnesses, and dust gathered in the filters can cause allergic reactions. If the property has been empty for some time but you intend to use it during the winter months, arrange to have the heating system checked and run for a while to make sure it is running clear and clean. Your property manager should be able to arrange that for you.

Check your water heater

The change of seasons is a good time to get items like this checked. You can have a good look yourself, ask your property manager to do so, or arrange for a water heater engineer to inspect the appliance. Check for leaks and water pressure issues. If your system does not already have a leak detections system or water catch tray, consider having one installed - it could save a lot of money in costly water damage if the boiler bursts.

Roof, gutters and downpipes

Early autumn showers are great for finding those little leaks and drips from the gutters and downpipes. Give your property a thorough check after rainfall to see if there are any areas that need attention and repair. Usually, a repair on a minor leak at the start of the winter, avoids any small problems becoming large problems costly to repair later in the season.

Deep clean kitchen appliances

Autumn calls you indoors, to cosy evening meals and time pleasantly spent around the kitchen table. We tend to cook warming meals and put ovens and hobs to much greater use than during the summer. This is particularly so if we like to entertain friends and family. So take a day or two to have all your kitchen appliances deep-cleaned and ready for the festive season to come. Degrease your cooker hood and change the filter. Polish up the ceramic plate on the hob. Clear out the cupboards and stock up with winter basics. Even if winter festivals may not be quite what we are used to in these days afflicted by a pandemic crisis, spending time at home and cooking healthful meals can be a great way to get through them.

Check your laundry appliances

This is especially important if you lead an active outdoor life and have a tendency to come home with muddy clothes! Spend a little time cleaning out the lint build up from your clothes dryer exhaust duct, and the space under the dryer to remove sources of dust from your home. Make sure your washing machine has been given a clean through with limescale remover and clean out the laundry powder drawer and the filters, to have your clothes fresh and clean and the machine working well for longer.

Ditch the draughts

Gibraltar in winter can be very windy and this means cold draughts nipping at the joy of an otherwise warm room. Beat the draughts by checking all your windows and doors and re-sealing these if necessary.

Brighten up indoors

Rethink your interior colour palette. Just a few new accessories can add a touch of autumn colour to your home and create a sense of warmth and welcome you will hurry home to after work every day. Think cushions, rugs, throws and other small accessories in warm colours such as berry, forest green, russet and burnt gold.

Autumn is a time for preparing and really enjoying your home and a great time for getting your tenanted property checked and ready for the winter. Advanced Property Care’s team are already hard at work making sure our clients can make the best of their Gibraltar properties as the year heads for a close. Call us if we can help you too.