Give your home a HEALTH CHECK

Winter can take a heavy toll on your home and garden. Strong winds can blow fences down; lashing rain can dislodge roof tiles; ice can cause water to freeze in brickwork leading to cracks, while harsh frosts can create ripples and splits in paint. But, by spending a couple of hours and a few pounds giving your home a little TLC now, you can nip any problems in the bud and prevent them getting any worse, which is infinitely cheaper than having to fork out for a complete re-roof or a whole new paint job.

1 REPAIR AND PAINT EXTERIOR WOODWORK

Extremes of temperature and excess moisture can wreak havoc with exterior woodwork, causing it to split or, worse still, rot. Check your window frames and doors for damage. Clean away any build-up of dirt, moss or algae with warm soapy water, leave to dry, then sand back the surface. Fill any holes with a flexible exterior wood filler, then sand the surface smooth before applying a couple of fresh coats of exterior paint or wood stain.

2 CHECK AND REPOINT BRICKWORK

Repointing brickwork is an essential maintenance job if you want your home to weather the elements effectively. Mortar is your wall’s first defence against water ingress. It is softer than brick and stone so at some point in the life of a building, it will start to deteriorate, however a good repointing job on your home