Why summer is the best time to MOT your Home

Our eldest son was born in September, that winter was one of the coldest ones we have had in years, it snowed a lot, in fact it was the last time I remember there being decent snow. Shops shut down as did the trains for a couple of days on and off through that winter and with a newborn I was pretty much stuck at home. Luckily it was nice and toasty until one day I woke up and it wasn't. The boiler had packed it in and just over a fortnight before Christmas, nightmare!  

We called a local engineer who said the problem was too hard to fix and we needed a specialist. We had only put this boiler in a few yeas prior and it was just months out of warranty. Luckily friends and family offered up their electric heaters which helped to keep our bedroom warm but it wasn't fun at all, especially as we had to wait nearly 10 days before managing to get a specialist out. We did get the heating back on a few days shy of Christmas which was fantastic but it was an experience I don't want to have to deal with any time soon if ever. I learnt that just like cars your home needs an MOT every now and then and summer is the perfect time for that instead of waiting before it's too late, as they say prevention is better than cure. You can also out source a lot of the jobs that need to be done, I've written a post on that which you can read here

Here are my tops tips on making sure your home is safe and efficient all year round.

1. Make an Inventory every few years

It's wise to have a proper walk through your home every few years, making notes of any areas that may need some work done to it, this allows you have a better overall view of the condition of your home. Do a visual check of your electrics, pluming and boiler, radiators, locks and areas you may over look such as shelving and doors. 

2. Check your gutters and roof

Gutters can quickly get filled up with leaves and cause blockages, these blockages can lead to water damage and can be hard to get covered by insurance if it was simply down to not maintaining these areas properly. While your doing that do a visual check of your water pipes to make sure there are no cracks. The roof is also an area to keep maintained so look out for any broken or loose tiles and get that addressed straight away before it becomes a bigger problem. 

3. Service your boiler

This is so important if you don't want to be in the same problem I found myself in during the coldest months. If you get it serviced during summer and it needs to be off for a day to two it really won't affect you too badly which is why it's important to do it now rather than wait. It's one of those things that does cost money but will save you a lot in the long term as well as give you peace of mind. Opting for a reliable and local business for servicing and all your heating and cooling needs such as Bove Fuels, will give you peace of mind. 

4. Check your Oil tank

If you happen to one of the 4 million who heat your home through an oil tank now is also the time to make sure its in tip-top condition. You should start with a basic inspection of the outside of the tank, looking for damage or cracks. Pay particular attention to the bottom half, as if there are any cracks or leaks here, you’ll lose most of your oil, resulting in a bigger mess and bigger costs. It’s easy to forget your inspections, so it’s a good idea to schedule your inspections for when you place your oil orders. If you’re about to receive a cheap delivery from Emo Oil you don’t want it to leak out! 

5. Maintain your windows 

At some-point in your life your most likely going to have issues with your double-glazing, the is down to general wear and tear. If you start to notice water droplets between the two panes of glass is most likely that the seals have started to fail and need to be addressed but contacting a window specialist. This is really important coming into the winter months to make sure your windows are as efficient as possible keeping the warmth in and the cold out. By keeping on top of this you may be able to fix your windows before having to sell out substantially more for replacements 

Home maintenance may not seem like the most exciting thing to do this summer but it really is essential in making sure your home is in the best possible condition as well as preventing wear, tear and damage before it gets too costly.