Home care & seasonal
The autumn home checklist that pays for itself
Autumn is the highest-return season in home maintenance. A few dull jobs now — gutters, radiators, taps, lagging — prevent the expensive, cold, wet problems that define a bad British winter.
By the Tickover team · Published 4 February 2026 · 2 min read
Autumn window
- Gutters, draughts, bleed radiators
- Lag pipes, isolate outside taps
Outside first
After the leaves drop
- Clear gutters and check downpipes run freely
- Scan roof and flashings from the ground
- Repair or book fence panels loosened by autumn gales
- Cut back plants blocking vents or airbricks
- Clear leaves from drains and gullies
Overflowing gutters quietly soak walls and foundations. The gutter guide covers safe DIY limits and fair prices. Pest season ramps up as weather cools — mice, rats and wasps if you are already seeing signs.
Heating and water
Before you need heat every day
- Bleed radiators and restore boiler pressure
- Book a boiler service if it is overdue
- Lag external condensate pipe
- Isolate and drain outside taps
- Lag loft and garage pipe runs
- Test heating on a full cycle, not a five-minute blast
Radiator bleeding is a step-by-step job. Outside taps and loft pipes sit in stop pipes freezing. If autumn already slipped past you, use the compressed weekend winter-proof plan.
Typical autumn spends
Gutter clean
Boiler service
Chimney sweep (if you burn)
Typical UK ranges, mid-2026, as a guide only. Your home, your area and the job itself all move the number — always compare real quotes.
Safety and comfort
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; replace weak batteries
- Check draught strips on doors and loft hatches
- Bleed towel rails and check bathroom extractors still pull
- If you have a stove or open fire, book the chimney sweep before first use
Autumn, remembered next year
Tickover turns this checklist into timed reminders for your actual home — boiler model, gutter last-done date, and who you used last time.
Quick answers
What should I do to my house every autumn?
Clear gutters after leaf fall, bleed radiators, check boiler pressure, isolate outside taps, lag vulnerable pipes, test smoke and CO alarms, and book a boiler service if the last one was more than a year ago. Those jobs prevent most of the classic winter call-outs.
When should gutters be cleaned in the UK?
Once the main leaf fall has finished in your street — often late October or November — and again in spring if trees overhang. Homes under large trees may need a mid-season clear too.
This guide is general information for UK homes, not advice about your specific property. Anything involving gas must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and notifiable electrical work by a qualified electrician. If you smell gas, call the National Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999. If you’re ever unsure, stop and get a professional in — that’s exactly what Tickover is for.
Keep reading
Home care & seasonal
Winter-proof the house in one weekend
A practical UK winter prep checklist: lag pipes, isolate outside taps, bleed radiators, clear gutters, test alarms and stop the boiler failing on the coldest morning.
3 min read
Roof, walls & outside
Gutters: the cheapest insurance your house has
Blocked gutters quietly fund the damp industry. How to spot an overflowing gutter, the safe-DIY line, what a clean costs and how often to book one.
4 min read
Heating & hot water
How to bleed a radiator (properly)
How to bleed a radiator step by step: the kit, the order to work around the house, and the boiler pressure top-up afterwards that almost everyone forgets.
5 min read