{"id":471,"date":"2020-11-04T09:34:14","date_gmt":"2020-11-04T09:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artisancentral.fr\/blog\/?p=471"},"modified":"2020-11-04T09:38:13","modified_gmt":"2020-11-04T09:38:13","slug":"essential-winter-home-maintenance-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/essential-winter-home-maintenance-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"Essential home maintenance jobs for a cosy Winter \u2018chez vous\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Life\u2019s scary enough these days without us adding to your worries, so we\u2019re not going to tell you loads of horror stories about what will happen if you don\u2019t carry out what we consider to be essential home maintenance jobs to get done before Winter kicks in.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re all about prevention \u2013 getting on top of things now, so you can cosy up \u2018chez vous\u2019 and ride out the pandemic in comfort. It\u2019s worth it for some peace of mind, too; if you do have a problem despite your best efforts to prevent it from happening, your insurers are more likely to pay out, rather than telling you your claim is invalid due to lack of maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clipboard and pen at the ready? Okay, here\u2019s your &#8216;home maintenance jobs&#8217; checklist!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Heating systems<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing says \u2018cosy\u2019 like that reassuring \u2018thwump\u2019 your boiler makes when you turn the central heating up. But there\u2019s more to keeping a house warm than a simple on\/off switch, and all those component parts needs looking after, as \u2018Plombier \u2013 Chauffagiste\u2019, aka <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.artisancentral.fr\/JTwilliams\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Plumbing and Heating expert, JT Williams<\/a><\/strong> explains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cIf you\u2019ve got central heating or gas fires, then you\u2019re required by law to get them checked over by a licensed professional once a year. If you\u2019ve not already done it, book an appointment now, as we\u2019re entering our busiest period and appointments are few and far between!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot you can do yourself, too. First, check the lagging on all your pipes \u2013 inside and outside \u2013 to help prevent pipes from freezing (which is a recipe for flooding disaster!). And when the winter cold really sets in, keep your central heating at 10C at all times. If you\u2019re not at home for a prolonged period during the most severe winter weather, set a timer so that it comes on for an hour a day. It\u2019s also worth knowing where your stopcock is \u2013 just in case\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>HOME MAINTENANCE JOBS<\/strong> <strong>CHECKLIST<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Book boiler and\/or gas fire in for a service                    <\/li><li>Set minimum temperature on central heating              <\/li><li>Set timer on central heating                                              <\/li><li>Check lagging on pipes in loft, garage and garden<\/li><li>Check where the stopcock is<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fires, flues, gutters &amp; roofs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artisancentral.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-gutter-935586_1920-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-476\" width=\"295\" height=\"195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-gutter-935586_1920-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-gutter-935586_1920-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-gutter-935586_1920-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-gutter-935586_1920-1536x1020.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-gutter-935586_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 295px) 100vw, 295px\" \/><figcaption>Are your gutters ready for melting snow?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>If you have any open fires or stoves, it\u2019s essential that they are also on your list of home maintenance jobs to do before Winter. Annual checks on appliances, flues and chimneys are required by insurance companies for health and safety reasons. You should hire a trained and qualified chimney sweep, like Dan Fox, for this kind of work. Sometimes, you can find roofers who are also insured as chimney sweeps, which can be really handy if there are other issues to deal with \u2018up there\u2019. <strong>Bradley Raikes runs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.raikescouverture.com\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Raikes Couverture<\/a> in Morbihan:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cSome people are perfectly capable of clearing their own gutters and checking for loose tiles, but for a lot of people, these are things they either can\u2019t or don\u2019t want to do themselves. And that\u2019s understandable \u2013 it\u2019s a long way down from some rooftops! Either way, it\u2019s definitely worth doing these things before winter, when ice, snow and freezing fog can make it all the more tricky!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>HOME MAINTENANCE JOBS<\/strong> <strong>CHECKLIST<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Get stove \/ burning appliance serviced<\/li><li>Get chimney swept<\/li><li>Check for loose roof tiles<\/li><li>Clear gutters<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lights, power lines &amp; electrics<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artisancentral.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-winter-maintenance-external-2349111_1920-1-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-474\" width=\"241\" height=\"361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-winter-maintenance-external-2349111_1920-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-winter-maintenance-external-2349111_1920-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-winter-maintenance-external-2349111_1920-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-winter-maintenance-external-2349111_1920-1-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/BLOG-winter-maintenance-external-2349111_1920-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 241px) 100vw, 241px\" \/><figcaption>Looks pretty, but will it work in the dark?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Some Winter home maintenance jobs are pretty obvious, but even so, it\u2019s easy to overlook them\u2026until something (or someone!) goes \u2018bump\u2019 in the night. External lighting, for example, serves little purpose during the lighter months, but as soon as the Autumn Equinox has passed, us Europeans descend into darkness. Make sure you\u2019re not fumbling around for your keys in the pouring rain this Winter and get an electrician on board to sort out any problems with your outdoor lights! <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paulwilkinselectricien.com\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Electrician, Paul Wilkins<\/a><\/strong>, says now is a good time to get a few other important home maintenance jobs done, too:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of growth in our gardens over Summer and early Autumn, when everything comes into harvest, and it\u2019s not uncommon for trees and shrubs to spread their tentacles towards power lines during this time. Checking the state of them now is much quicker and easier than fixing broken cables later \u2013 and coping without electricity while you do it!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cIndoors, check your Christmas lights for loose connections before they go up on the tree or across the fireplace, and make sure you\u2019ve got extension leads that are power-surge protected. When it comes to setting up your lights, be careful not to overload your sockets.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HOME MAINTENANCE JOBS<\/strong> <strong>CHECKLIST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Check external lighting works<\/li><li>Clear plant and tree growth from power lines<\/li><li>Make sure Christmas lights are safe<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Windows &amp; doors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Loose windows and doors don\u2019t necessarily make themselves known during the Summer months, but as soon as the weather turns nasty, they\u2019re not just a noisy nuisance, but they let heat escape and cool winds in! Now is the time to think about fixing them or, better still in terms of your environmental footprint, getting them replaced with double glazing, says <strong>Allan Robertshaw, the man behind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brittanypvc.com\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brittany PVC<\/a><\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cBecause it prevents heat from escaping and cold air from coming in, energy efficient glazing can significantly reduce your heating bills. It can also reduce condensation and noise pollution \u2013 making your home a much more comfortable place to be. If you can\u2019t afford new windows and doors, you can still improve the energy efficiency of your home by using heavy curtains.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>HOME MAINTENANCE JOBS<\/strong> <strong>CHECKLIST<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Check windows and doors for draughts and cold spots<\/li><li>Fix loose windows and doors, if possible<\/li><li>Put up heavy curtains<\/li><li>Consider replacing windows and doors with double glazing<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A final word<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, none of the home maintenance jobs listed above are even possible if you don\u2019t live there all year round or, indeed, at all. If this is the case, you can save yourself a lot of worry and stress by hiring someone to do it for you, through property management companies like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lbvfrance.com\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Les Bons Voisins<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/charenteassistance.fr\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Charente Assistance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, keep an eye on all areas of your house \u2013 inside and out \u2013 to check for any problems that might be developing. And if you need a professional to help, find an artisan you can trust right here, in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artisancentral.fr\/members\/list.php\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Artisan Central directory<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With warmest wishes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Artisan Central team!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Artisan Central, we\u2019re all about prevention \u2013 getting on top of things now, so you can cosy up \u2018chez vous\u2019 throughout the Winter, knowing you&#8217;ve done everything you can to keep your home warm and safe. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[80,81,83,85,78,84,82,25,79],"class_list":["post-471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advice","tag-central-heating","tag-chimney","tag-electrics","tag-energy-efficiency","tag-home-maintenance","tag-outdoor-lighting","tag-roofing","tag-upvc-windows","tag-winter","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=471"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/471\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":482,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/471\/revisions\/482"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisan-central.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}