Autumn home maintenance checklist

The NSW Government's storm preparation is to check for leaks and loose tiles, metal roof sheets, eaves and screws — autumn is when you act on what that found.

The NSW Government says to clear gutters, downpipes and drains regularly to prevent blockages, and the SA Country Fire Service puts removing leaves from gutters at the centre of bushfire preparation.

Water pooling against the walls in winter is what turns into rising damp and mould inside.

Summer sun perishes sealant, and the first heavy winter rain finds every failed joint.

Under the Australian Consumer Law, services must be provided with an acceptable level of care and skill and within a reasonable time, and the ACCC says those rights cannot be taken away by anything a business says.

Book a professional sweep rather than doing it yourself; a season of use leaves deposits in the flue you cannot see from the room.

Most Australian houses are built for heat, not cold, and draughts are where the winter heating goes.

Insulation is often disturbed by work in the roof space, and the gaps are exactly where the heat leaves.

NSW Health advises cleaning mould with a mild detergent or a diluted vinegar solution, wearing protection, and says absorbent materials such as carpet may need professional cleaning or replacement.

NSW Health advises using exhaust fans when bathing, showering, cooking, doing laundry and drying clothes, because mould grows where moist air has nowhere to go.

Queensland requires interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms complying with AS 3786-2014 in all homes by 1 January 2027, and the Tasmania Fire Service says to have one in every hallway, living area and garage, on every storey and wherever anyone sleeps.

The SA Country Fire Service advises keeping bark, heavy mulch and wood piles away from the house and sheds, which applies just as much when you are laying it.

A pool used less often still needs its fence and gate maintained; the rules do not pause out of season.

Rodents move indoors as the nights cool, and the roof space is where they get into the wiring.