The autumn preparation is the last round of work before the cold or wet season: seal wall cracks, check door and window seals, clear every drain and gutter before the heavy rains, clean the chimneys, stack firewood under cover at least 10 m from the buildings, secure loose roofing and stock repair materials. A drain is tested by volume, since a 48 m² roof sheds 480 L in 10 mm of rain, so a blocked downpipe puts that water at the foot of the wall.
Part of Building Maintenance Schedules
The autumn preparation checklist is the set of weatherproofing, drainage, chimney and storm jobs done in the weeks before the cold or wet season arrives.
Autumn Work Decides What Winter Can Do To The Buildings
The maintenance guide’s autumn list has four groups. Weatherproofing: seal all wall cracks, even small ones, because water enters, freezes and widens them; check window and door seals and pack gaps with wool, moss or caulk; make sure drainage is clear before the heavy rains; stack firewood under cover and away from the buildings, at least 10 m, which matches the fire guide’s 10 m between any building and fuel storage (Fire Prevention in Settlements); clean the chimneys. Storm preparation: secure loose roofing; check tie-downs and strapping on straw bale buildings; clear dead trees that could fall on buildings in wind; stock tarps, extra roofing, fasteners and rope. The chimney method is covered separately (Chimney Cleaning Schedule).
Worked Example: What A Blocked Downpipe Does
Inputs: a roof 6 m by 8 m in plan; a rain of 10 mm in an hour (an illustrative storm, not a record). One millimetre of rain on one square metre is one litre.
- Roof plan area: 6 × 8 = 48 m².
- Water landing in an hour: 48 × 10 = 480 L, which is 480 ÷ 60 = 8 L/min.
- If a leaf-blocked downpipe passes half of that, the other 4 L/min pours over the gutter edge at the foot of the wall.
This is the water that rots the wall base and floods the foundation, which is why the guide says to clear drains before the heavy rains. Test the system by running a bucket of water down a gutter and watching it drain and discharge.
A falling tree reaches as far as it is tall, so a dead tree closer to a building than its own height is a danger: a tree 12 m tall threatens everything within 12 m.
What You Need
- A ladder, a rake, a trowel and a broom for gutters and drains
- Mortar, plaster or slip for cracks (Plaster Crack Repair)
- Wool, moss or caulk for gaps
- A covered, ventilated woodstore 10 m from the buildings
- Tarps, battens, nails, rope and spare roofing for emergency repair (Leak Detection & Emergency Patching)
Method: Work From The Top Down
Step 1: Clear the roof, gutters and valleys of leaves, then the downpipes and the drains at the foot of the wall.
Step 2: Test the drains with a bucket of water, and watch where it goes.
Step 3: Seal every wall crack and check the seals on doors and windows.
Step 4: Clean the chimneys and check the stove clearances (Chimney & Stove Safety).
Step 5: Secure the roofing, tighten fasteners and check tie-downs.
Step 6: Move the firewood to the covered store, 10 m from the buildings, and fell or prop any dead tree that could reach a building.
Step 7: Stock the repair kit and put it where it can be reached in a storm.
Common Mistakes
- Sealing the gaps around a stove with moss or wool. Keep combustible packing away from the stove and flue.
- Stacking firewood against the wall for convenience. It is a fire load beside the building and holds damp against it.
- Waiting for the first rain to find the blocked drain.
- Leaving the repair kit in the building that needs repair.
Safety
Ladders, wet leaves and chimney tops
Autumn work is on wet, slippery roofs and ladders. Foot and tie the ladder, work with a partner, and do not climb in wind or rain. A rotted rafter or batten will not hold a person, so step only on solid framing. A chimney that has not been cleaned can fill the house with smoke and carbon monoxide once the first fires are lit.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Mid-Winter Emergency Checks — what to watch once the cold arrives
- Combine with: Foundation Drainage Checks — testing the drains properly