Six quick summer tasks to get your home winter-ready

No, it's not too early to start preparing your property for the long, dark nights ahead

Clean your carpets 

Domestic carpets can be leery with petrochemicals, mites, dust and mould making them at least as dirty as a city pavement. Cleaned up, they can trap and regulate humidity and airborne contaminants. 

Have your home’s carpets professionally shampooed or steam-cleaned by summer’s end, or hire a machine to do the work yourself. 

Avoid soaking carpeting and underlay and get in the right appliance.

Address the rainwater system

Your gutters, downpipes and shores should be clear, levelled to drain, and secured to deal with winter storms. 

Look for anything growing that could clog or even take apart your gutters. Don’t ascend a ladder to deal with second or even single-storey jobs unless you are fit and competent and have someone on the ground.

Clear out the hall 

With the increased level of muck and sodden coats and shoes tramping indoors, make the hall an open, ergonomic and logical landing stage. 

Introduce clean, slip-resistant, water-ingesting rugs to take off the worst of the foot-borne rubbish.

Lag water pipes 

If your immersion tank is not factory insulated, wrap and belt it in a jacket (from €30 at any DIY outlet) and insulate vulnerable water pipes, especially in the attic with split-sided foam covers. 

If you’re having your attic insulated professionally, ask your supplier to add this to the job if it’s not specified.

Radiator check

Bleed your radiators if they need it. A dedicated key turned 180 degrees anticlockwise will gently release build-up air that can cause the radiator to run cooler at the top surface.

Be neighbourly

Consider our elderly or struggling neighbours. They may need some help and direction detailing their homes for winter. There are grants available to insulate and warm the homes of individuals and families in receipt of certain welfare payments. 

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