Autumn Is Here: Time to Get Your Home Ready for Colder & Darker Days (And Save Money Doing It)

Autumn has arrived, which means you have a choice. Get organised now, whilst the weather's still mild, or join the annual winter panic when everything goes wrong at once.

Right now, engineers are available and charging normal rates. DIY supplies are in stock at regular prices. Your boiler isn't competing with thousands of others for attention.

But give it a few weeks, and everything changes. The first proper cold snap turns preparation into expensive emergency repairs. What costs £60 today will cost £150 when it's an urgent callout.

Savvy homeowners are getting winter-ready right now. Here's your step-by-step guide to beating the rush and saving a significant amount of money, but first things first, check you aren't overpaying for your energy costs! Energy costs go up on October 1st by about 2%, and so make sure you are on the best rate possible. You can use Money Saving Expert's guide to the best deals on energy; they are the people I trust to provide honest information on which energy supplier to choose. I used their energy price checker and, as a result, signed up with Octopus Energy. I have found them to be an excellent energy supplier, as they are usually the cheapest, or at least damn near the cheapest, and are known for their excellent customer service, plus I like their loyalty scheme as it gives me freebies such as weekly free coffees and things such as cheap cinema tickets, money off at reastauarnts and pubs, free movie rentals and even free National Trust passes from time to time. I'm not going to advise you to become one of their customers, because that comes across as an advert for them, which isn't the reason I'm mentioning them, but if you are advised to use them, or want to, feel free to use my Octopus Energy referral link, and we'll both get a £50 sign-up bonus.

The Autumn Advantage: Why Now Is the Perfect Time

There's a predictable pattern every winter. Autumn arrives, and most people think "plenty of time yet." The leaves change, the days grow shorter, and then suddenly, the first frost hits.

Everyone's calling the same plumbers, buying the same supplies, needing the same urgent fixes. Prices spike, availability plummets, and what should be simple preparation becomes stressful emergency management.

This autumn is your window. The weather's still pleasant enough for outdoor tasks. Heating engineers have diary space. DIY stores are fully stocked. Most importantly, you can work at your own pace without feeling rushed or panicked.

Get Your Radiators Working Now (Before You Actually Need Them)

Your radiators have been sitting unused since spring. There's a good chance they're not working as efficiently as they should. Now's the perfect time to fix that, whilst you can work in comfort.

The telltale sign is radiators that are hot at the bottom but cold at the top. This means trapped air is stopping hot water from circulating properly. Your boiler works harder, bills increase, and rooms remain chilly.

The solution takes 15 minutes per radiator. You'll need a radiator key (available for less than a fiver on Amazon) and a towel for any drips.

Turn off your heating system and wait for it to cool completely. Start with ground floor radiators. Insert the key into the bleed valve at the top corner. Turn slowly anticlockwise until you hear hissing.

That's trapped air escaping. Keep turning until water flows steadily, then close the valve. Do this throughout the house whilst the weather's still mild. When winter arrives, your radiators will heat 20-30% more efficiently. That's £50-80 saved over the heating season.

Check Your Boiler Pressure Before Everyone Else Does

While you're sorting out radiators, take two minutes to check your boiler's pressure gauge. It should read between 1.0 and 1.5 bar when the system is cold.

Boilers often lose pressure gradually over the summer. Low pressure means poor heating efficiency or complete system failure. The fix is usually straightforward if you catch it early.

Most boilers have a filling loop that allows you to top up the pressure yourself. Your manual shows you how, or search online for your boiler model. Do this now, whilst it's a simple maintenance task.

Wait until the first cold morning when your boiler won't fire up, and you're looking at an £80-£120 emergency callout. The engineer will do exactly the same job you could do today for free.

Seal Your Home Before Heat Becomes Expensive!

Every gap around doors and windows is money flowing straight outside once heating season starts. The Energy Saving Trust calculates that proper draught-proofing saves £40-85 per year.

Autumn is perfect for this job. You can work with doors and windows open without freezing. You can spot draughts easily because the temperature difference isn't extreme yet.

Start with the obvious spots: gaps around doors and windows. Self-adhesive foam strips cost £3-8 and work well for windows. Door brush strips are equally cheap and effective.

Can't get to the shops? An old sock filled with rice makes an excellent draught excluder for door bottoms. It's free and surprisingly effective.

Do this work now whilst it's comfortable. Come December, every draught will feel twice as cold, and you'll wish you'd sorted it months ago.

The Radiator Trick That Saves Money All Winter

Here's something most people don't know about. Radiator reflector panels can save £20-35 per winter from about a £10 investment. Amazon have lots of different types, starting from £8.

These thin, foil-backed panels are designed to fit behind radiators on external walls. Instead of heating the brickwork behind your radiator, they bounce heat back into your room. They're particularly effective on older homes with solid walls.

Installation takes minutes. Cut the panels to size and slide them behind your radiators. They're barely visible, but they make a noticeable difference in how warm rooms feel.

Do this job now, whilst you're not desperate for heat. You'll benefit all winter long, and the panels pay for themselves in 4-6 months.

Sort Your Lighting Before the Clocks Change (26th October)

The clocks go back soon. Suddenly, you'll be using lights much more, making this the perfect time to switch to LEDs.

LEDs use 80% less electricity than old bulbs and last ten times longer. They cost £3-8 each but save £30-50 per year for a typical home.

Focus on your most frequently used rooms first: living areas, kitchens, and hallways. These lights stay on the longest and give the most significant savings. You can often find multipacks at reasonable prices in B&Q, Amazon or Screwfix and don't forget to use cashback apps to save money on these purchases!

Do this switch now, before shorter days make lighting a significant part of your energy bill. Every month you wait costs money.

Protect Your Pipes Before the Temperature Drops

Winters may have seemed milder over the last few years in the UK, but that doesn't mean you should be prepared for a sudden temperature drop, and if you aren't ready, it can be a disaster! Frozen pipes are a winter disaster that causes expensive damage to thousands of families every year. One night of sub-zero temperatures can cause pipes to burst, resulting in thousands of pounds of damage to your home.

Prevention is simple, inexpensive, and needs to be done now, while it's still comfortable to work in lofts and garages.

Focus on pipes in unheated areas. Foam pipe insulation costs less than a fiver on Amazon or from just £1.79 a metre in B&Q, and slides over exposed pipes. Pay special attention to hot water pipes between your boiler and taps.

This job serves double duty. It prevents freezing and reduces heat loss from hot water pipes. Do it now, whilst you can work comfortably in cold spaces.

Also, locate your stopcock now, whilst you're not panicking about water gushing through your ceiling! Do you know where yours is? It's essential to know where it is and how to stop the water flow; you may only have minutes to turn the water off before it's too late to prevent expensive issues. It's usually under the kitchen sink. Look for a small tap or lever on copper pipes. If pipes do freeze despite your precautions, knowing where they are located can prevent minor problems from becoming major disasters.

Get Your Car (And Bike!) Ready Before the Breakdown Season

It's not just your house that needs some TLC, so it's ready for autumn and winter. Car breakdown services experience a 40% increase in callouts after the first frost. Most of these are preventable with 20 minutes of preparation now.

Walk around your car and test every light. Broken bulbs mean £50 fines and safety risks in winter conditions. I've already seen numerous vehicles this year with one of their lights not working, so make sure to check yours. As I write this, I've just realised that actually I haven't checked mine are working properly either, so thats a job for later on today! The same goes for cyclists and motorcyclists too; check that you have working lights, make sure you actually have them with you when out and about, and please invest in a fluorescent-style jacket, so that other road users can see you even better when it's dark or the weather is bad.

I mention this particularly now, having almost collided with a young cyclist, this week, who was cycling in the dark, on a road with no street lights, with a cycle with no lights, no shiny jacket, and was stopped on a bend in the road, with his headphones on, and totally unaware of his surroundings and the incoming traffic. I had seconds to react, and by the grace of god, I managed to avoid hitting him, but next time he may not be so lucky; so don't let that be you, or a member of your family or a friend; I've lost a friend to this kind of accident, and it's such a waste of a life.

Check your coolant level and antifreeze concentration. Low antifreeze levels can lead to expensive engine damage when temperatures drop.

Top up washer fluid with winter-strength mix now. Standard summer fluid freezes solid when you need visibility most. Check tyre pressures, which drop as temperatures fall.

Clean your battery terminals if there's any corrosion. Batteries that cope fine in summer often fail completely in cold weather.

Supermarkets sell antifreeze and screenwash much cheaper than garages. Sort this during your regular shopping trip rather than paying premium prices at a breakdown.

Book Professional Help Before the Rush

Some jobs need professional expertise. The key is to book now while engineers have capacity and normal pricing.

Annual boiler servicing is the classic example. Book in autumn and pay £60-80. Wait until November when everyone's heating breaks down, and you'll pay £100-150. Need an emergency callout on the first cold day? That's £150-250.

The same pattern applies to roof work, gutter cleaning, and insulation installation. Tradespeople offer competitive prices in autumn. Come winter, they're booked solid and charging premium rates.

Make those calls this week whilst you're planning ahead, not panicking about urgent problems.

Your Autumn Prep Plan That Saves Hundreds

Here's your organised action plan for the coming weeks. Each task takes under an hour but saves money all winter:

Start this week: Bleed all radiators whilst the weather's milder. Check boiler pressure and top up if needed. Buy draught excluders and foam strips from your local DIY store.

Next week: Fit draught excluders around main doors and windows. Install radiator reflector panels on external walls. Switch high-use bulbs to LED in main living areas.

Before winter arrives, insulate exposed pipes in cold areas, such as lofts and garages. Check car antifreeze, lights, and fluids. Book a boiler service asap.

Total time: About 4 hours spread over autumn Total cost: £50-90 in materials Winter savings: £200-400 plus avoided emergency costs

The message is simple. Autumn preparation today prevents winter emergencies tomorrow. Whilst your neighbours are dealing with frozen pipes and broken boilers, you'll be warm, comfortable, and counting the money you've saved.

Don't wait until everyone else realises they need help. Start this weekend, and by the time winter properly arrives, you'll be ready for whatever the weather throws at you.