Preparing Your Home for Winter

While April delivered a few mild days, cooler nights and frosty mornings are just around the corner. Now is the perfect time to get on top of routine home maintenance so you stay comfortable, avoid surprises, and protect your property through winter.

Clean Gutters and Downpipes

Leaf season is here. Fallen leaves and debris can quickly block gutters and downpipes, leading to overflows, water damage, and even pest issues.

Clearing your gutters now means:

Better water flow during winter rain
Less strain on pipes and roofing
Less work when spring storms arrive

You may also want to speak with a roofer about whether gutter guard, additional downpipes, or weir overflows could benefit your home.

Check Your Roof

Canberra’s changing temperatures can take a toll on roofing over time. Expansion, contraction, and exposure can lead to cracked tiles, loose ridge capping, and small issues that quickly become expensive repairs.

Before frosty mornings make roof access unsafe, consider having your roof inspected. This can often be done at the same time as gutter cleaning for added convenience.

Cover Ceiling Vents

As the cold weather approaches, covering ceiling vents helps prevent cool drafts and heat loss. If you have a rooftop evaporative unit, covering it over winter can protect it from weather exposure.

Don’t forget to turn off the water supply to your cooler if it won’t be used during winter.

Service Your Air Conditioning

Your air conditioning works hard year-round, from keeping you cool in summer to warming your home in winter. An annual service every 12 months helps keep your system running efficiently and extends its lifespan.

A professional service can:

Improve heating and cooling performance
Reduce energy use and power bills
Improve indoor air quality
Help prevent unexpected breakdowns during cold snaps

Between services, make sure filters are cleaned regularly or replaced when needed. A clean system runs better, lasts longer, and keeps dust and allergens out of your home.

Bonus Tip for Landlords

For property owners, there’s an added benefit: many routine maintenance tasks can be immediately tax deductible.

This may include:

Gutter and roof repairs
Air‑conditioning servicing or repairs
Replacing filters or components

Larger capital works, such as roof replacement, are generally claimed over time (typically around 2.5% per year over 40 years), while depreciating assets like evaporative coolers may be claimed under ATO depreciation schedules.

A little preparation now can save a lot of stress later. Continued maintenance not only keeps you comfortable, but also prevents costly repairs, improves energy efficiency reducing costs, and protects your property’s value.