Buyer guide · Updated August 2026

The Homeowner's Property Maintenance Checklist

Nearly every expensive repair we attend had a cheap prevention window months earlier. This is the checklist we would give any homeowner who wants to spend less on emergencies.

Key takeaways

  • Exercise the stopcock so it does not seize
  • Autumn gutter and gully clearance prevents winter damp
  • Lag exposed pipework and drain outside taps
  • Test extractor fans with the paper test each spring

Twice a year: water and seals

Find and turn your internal stopcock so it does not seize. Check under every sink and behind the washing machine for early staining. Inspect silicone around baths, trays and worktops and renew anything perished.

Run rarely used taps and flush rarely used toilets to keep traps full and stop drain smells.

Autumn: water going where it should

Clear gutters and check downpipes discharge into the drain rather than against the wall. Check gully grates are clear. Look for slipped tiles and lifted flashing from ground level.

Most internal damp we see in winter starts as an external water path problem in autumn.

Winter: freeze protection

Lag exposed pipework in lofts, garages and outbuildings. Isolate and drain outside taps. If you leave the property empty in cold weather, leave low background heating on rather than turning everything off.

Know where the stopcock is before you need it in the dark.

Spring: ventilation and wear

Test extractor fans by holding a sheet of paper to the grille - if it does not hold, the fan is not moving air. Clean fan grilles and check duct runs where accessible.

Check door and window operation, easing anything that has moved over winter, and touch up any external timber before summer.

Quick questions

How often should silicone be checked?

Look at it twice a year and expect to renew it every five to ten years depending on ventilation and use.

What is the single highest-value maintenance job?

Knowing and exercising your stopcock. It turns a catastrophic leak into a contained one.

Do I need to drain outside taps every winter?

If they are not frost-proof, yes. A split outside tap pipe often discharges inside the wall build-up before anyone notices.

Is a maintenance visit worth booking?

For most homes a half-day covering the checklist annually costs less than one emergency call-out and repair.

Need a real quote, not just a guide?

We provide free, written, itemised quotes for general property maintenance across Gloucester, Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Stroud and Newent.