How to prepare your home for winter in Worcester

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) runs the week annually to remind people to prepare their buildings for winter with simple checks and repairs.

The Property Care Association (PCA) has supported the campaign by offering advice on keeping homes in good condition for winter and preventing minor issues from becoming major problems.

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James Berry, deputy chief executive of the PCA, said: "Maintenance Week provides a timely opportunity to highlight the importance of building maintenance, and one area we want to focus on during the campaign is the impact of excess water.

"According to the State of the UK Climate 2023 report, five of the 10 wettest years for the UK in the series from 1836 have occurred in the 21st century, and the most recent decade (2014–2023) has been 2% wetter than 1991–2020 and 10% wetter than 1961–1990.

"This data points to the fact that managing water around the home is becoming more important than ever."

The PCA's top ten tips to protect homes from water damage this winter include checking roofs for cracked or slipped tiles, ensuring drives and paths are clear of leaves, and preventing storage water containers from overfilling.

Other advice includes ensuring gutters and downpipes are free from blockages, maintaining ventilation systems to prevent condensation, and protecting external timber from water damage.

The PCA also advises checking chimney flashings, pointing and rendering, and the sealing around window and doorway openings for potential water entry points.

Finally, it recommends ensuring drains are free from blockages to prevent flooding.

More information about the PCA and its members can be found at www.property-care.org.

Throughout the week, SPAB will be sharing tips on Twitter (X), Facebook, and Instagram, inviting people to join the conversation using #MaintenanceWeek and tag @SPAB1877.