Kirsty McLuckie: Preparing your property for the annual assault from the Scottish winter

A householder’s preparations for the annual assault on their property from the Scottish winter weather depends very much, I feel, on their personality.

The sensible among us will have already had the boiler serviced, bled the radiators, checked both the levels of insulation in the loft and the lagging round the pipes, and will be absolutely on top of clearing the gutters of leaves as each gust of wind brings a new harvest.

In our house, we are more grasshoppers than ants – as the fable would have it – and having sung all summer while other more industrious insects stockpiled for winter, we now face an unseemly scramble to prepare the house as the first bad weather hits.

There is a backlog in the wood shed, peeling paint on some outdoor window sills, and we were a bit late in bringing plant pots inside.

Several were blown over in our first real blast of autumnal wind this week and sadly did not survive. But, changeable weather in October isn’t exactly unexpected, so we really should not be surprised.

But shutting all our doors and windows to keep the cold at bay can cause its own problems. The number-one problem around the average house in winter months is peeling paint caused by damp, according to data from onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk.

It topped the list of online complaints, ahead of boiler breakdowns, burst pipes and guttering problems.

A build up of mould, also caused by damp, can often follow peeling paint as a symptom of poor air circulation in winter – leading in some circumstances to the choice between open windows and cold, or closed windows and damp.

The advice is to look at proper insulation, moisture barriers and sufficient ventilation to help reduce condensation which is the primary cause. Use an extractor fan where possible when showering, cooking, and washing the dishes.

Condensation can also signal a hidden leak, so should be checked.

As for boilers, it isn’t just a lack of heat or hot water that provides a warning sign. Knocking sounds mean there is a problem – and, as temperatures drop and the call for energy increases, it is likely that a struggling boiler will eventually break down altogether.

Many of us might be limiting our heating because of climate concerns and rising prices, but if you are a frugal type who only treats yourself to round-the-clock heating when family are staying at Christmas, unfortunately that is when a struggling boiler is likely to give up the ghost. Better to get it checked.

Bleeding the radiators will reduce strain on the boiler too.

Most of us know how to, but checking again online this week I learned that I’ve been doing it all wrong. The advice is to start with the radiator furthest away from your boiler and, if you’re living in a two or more storey house, start with the downstairs radiators before heading upstairs.

As compensation, if this task falls to you, you are legally permitted to carry it out muttering “bleedin’ radiators!” in an Eastenders accent.

- Kirsty McLuckie is property editor at The Scotsman