Do We Need a Crossing? Give AT Your View
The pedestrian crossing planned for Coatesville village has stirred up strong feelings on social media. In spite of being backed by the Coatesville Residents and Ratepayers Association with local resident submissions made to the Local Board, as well as support from MP Mark Mitchell, since debate escalated online, supporters have gone to ground.
Coatesville residents will soon receive a flyer from Auckland Transport asking for their feedback about the proposed crossing and all responses will remain confidential. Rodney Local Board member Louise Johnston says all names will be redacted and although this is not a referendum, i.e. not a vote, the feedback Council receives during this consultation phase will determine
whether the project goes ahead or not. And, if it does go ahead, what form it will take.
Discussion over whether the crossing's design should be raised or not has been a particular focal point.
The raised crossing in Riverhead has been cited as causing traffic to slow excessively even when there are no pedestrians.
However, there are also concerns about how raised crossings function. Recent news items have exposed the issue of vibrations caused by heavy vehicles using raised crossings. A problem that has led to some now being removed.
Whatever the design, the latest AT traffic counts show that 7000 vehicles pass through Coatesville village daily and there are several
times of day when vehicle movements and pedestrians can start to look shambolic. The photo left was taken last Friday around 4pm. A number of parents and children were visiting the Coatesville dairy and needed to cross the road at the same time as school buses were arriving to drop off students on the Glenmore Road side of the Highway. Vehicles were also coming in and out of the village car park. People were crossing at different points on the road and most vehicles were not giving way to them. A pedestrian crossing would have improved everyone's safety.
When it comes to feedback, every person's opinion is valid, even school students. Louise says if the community doesn't express support for the crossing, it will not go ahead. "That's what happened in Leigh and the funding was allocated elsewhere in Rodney."
The feedback phase is a chance to share views and make comments. The Chronicle understands that feedback from people who actually live in Coatesville will be valued by AT more highly than feedback from those who drive through Coatesville on their way to and from work.
Above: The speed table and zebra crossing design AT proposes for Coatesville village
Without a pedestrian crossing: traffic stopped for this group of school students so they could cross the highway safely last Friday at 4pm.
If you live in Coatesville, you'll have an opinion about whether we need a pedestrian crossing in the village. There may not be a steady stream of people waiting to cross the road at every moment in the day, but there are peak times when things get more challenging for those heading to and from the reserve. Kids on the way to school; dog walkers; parents with prams or pushchairs, there's a lot of distractions to consider. And, when it comes to parents or grandparents with two or three kids crossing the Highway after getting a treat at the dairy as buses pull in to drop off high school kids – the risk factors escalate.
Add to that the 15 new car parks that will be built at the bottom of Glenmore Road .... central Coatesville is changing. We need a solution that takes into account the traffic conditions our community faces today and in the future.
The consultation period for AT's proposed pedestrian crossing ends on 6 April, so there's only a twoweek window. The QR code on the front page will take you straight there.
This month, our Rodney Local Board member, Louise Johnston,
Coatesville extends beyond this blue area but the closer the better for feedback.
brings us the news from the RLB on page 5 with some important reminders about local events. March saw the return of what must surely be New Zealand's foremost paddock golf invitational; the Coatesville Classic, now in its 9th year! Peter Savage gives a great run down on pages 6 and 7. Annabelle White shares a recipe for using up seasonal fruit that will elevate any get together, on page 8. The CRRA has helpful hints on page 10, and on page 12, Ailsa reminds property owners it's time to get busy with those seasonal maintenance jobs.
Your editor, Vanessa Johnson
Email: coatesvillechronicle@gmail.com, Phone: 021 724 001
ANZAC Day Dawn Service
Diary Dates
∞ 23 March, Sunday, 9.30am–11.30am Easter-themed flower arranging workshop at Kaipara Coast Plant Centre. Tickets are $30 per person and bookings are essential. Email info@ kaiparacoast.co.nz to buy your ticket.
∞ 26 March Wednesday, CRRA Monthly Meeting at the Settlers hall 6pm start. All Welcome.
∞ 28 March, Friday, Feedback deadline ends today to Auckland Council's annual budget/plan.
∞ 31 March, Monday, End of the financial year.
∞ 6 April, Sunday, PEDESTRIAN CROSSING FEEDBACK
DEADLINE - Scan the QR code on the cover or go to haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/ coatesville-safety by today!
∞ 6 April, Sunday, DAYLIGHT SAVING ENDS at 2am in the morning. Remember to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and put your clocks back an hour.
∞ 11 April, Friday, Last day of term one ends at Coatesville School.
∞ 18 April, Good Friday
∞ 20 April, Easter Sunday,
The Coatesville Residents and Ratepayers invites everyone to attend the ANZAC Day commemorative service at the Settlers Hall on Friday, 25 April. The service starts promptly at 7am so come al little earlier to get a good spot. A morning tea will follow the formalities and everyone is welcome to stay for refreshments and to catch up with friends and neighbours.
Friday, 25 April, 7am
∞ 21 April, Easter Monday
∞ 25 April, Friday, ANZAC Day, from 7am. The CRRA is hosting the ANZAC Day commemorative service at the Settlers Hall. All welcome.
Remember to bring a gold coin donation for your poppy.
No Fires Allowed
Following the long dry spell Auckland has epxerienced from summer through to autumn, Fire Emergency New Zealand has declared a prohibited fire season until further notice. So, even if you have applied for and been granted a fire permit, it is now revoked.
You can keep an eye on the status of the fire season at Checkitsalright. co.nz. Enter your address in the address finder to learn where, when and what type of fire you can light.
NZBlood will be at Coatesville Settlers Hall on Friday, 21 March from 9am–2pm. They say: "1 hour of your time saves 3 lives so we appreciate every donor. Appointments can be booked through the app or on this link: https://www.nzblood.co.nz/ booking/?siteid=29bdc91e-ef97ef11-8a68-6045bde6f4ae
Walk-ins are also welcome. Please remember to bring physical ID or your donor ID, drink plenty water and eat a meal within 4 hours before your donation. We’d love to see you there."
Check out the poster above to see how the blood that gets donated is used to help those who need it.
The CCGC's Day in
Late February saw the Coatesville Country Garden club visit Tucker's Orchid establishment on East Coast Road in Redvale. Orchids are one of those plants that you either know how to take care of or else you muddle your way forward.
Muddlers were present in good numbers and we were told about repotting, along with general care and maintenance. The right planting medium mix, food and watering play an important part in keeping the plants healthy and growing, as well. There were tables of leafy orchids of all sizes, all ages and stages and all the colours imaginable.
Bombay
The three greenhouses on site complement the original site in Bayswater which has undergone expansion too. All types of orchids as well as breeding stock are housed here, and services offered include sales, repotting and the sale of medium, all with free advice from international listed breeders Susan and her husband Ross Tucker.
Site(s): RWNZ5108
Ray White Swanson
Business: Totally Amped Electrical
It won’t always be available at this location; motorway and bus lane extensions are in the planning stages with land acquisition to happen, meaning there will no longer be room for this operation. Be in while you can! Thank you Kathy Walker for your planning.
Ship To: 14 Bethells Road, Auckland 0816 New Zealand
Contact: Coel Jackson
Phone: 021 770 696
cream and jam under the canopy on the flat lawn. Smashing! Spoilt again! Ruth Agnew’s rambling country garden wraps around her home and the hillside facing out over 500 acres of undulating farmland to a distant Auckland city. Each room (there are a series), has a distinctive style and has an overflow of plants. The infinity pool which faces north, has a waterfall wall with splashing water cascading into a water feature which recycles the water to continue its course. Plants that can withstand dry conditions are mostly grown, and because of this season’s dry time, the water tanker has to deliver once a week. The established trees and grasses, lavenders, ferns, achillea and some carefully positioned hydrangeas are surviving, at a cost. Rocks are used extensively to help retain the hillside and moisture.
Perhaps it is as well Ruth has other sources of revenue – from her landscaping and garden maintenance companies in South Auckland! This garden had style and innovative planting used effectively on a contoured landscape base.
Email: totallyampedelectrical@gmail.com
Our March trip to the Bombay area filled a bus, while others carpooled, as close to 60 members made their way south on the first day trip for 2025 organised by Pat Hosking. It was an early start as our experience tells us that driving on Tuesday through town puts you at the mercy of Auckland traffic well and truly! Bus lanes do make a difference though.
Addenbrooke was our first stop on Razorback Road. This garden is now owned by Graeme and Jane Thomas who are constantly upgrading structures and garden areas. Features
GRAPHICS PROOF SHEET
07 5699 8109 07 5575 9748
graphics@movingtogether.com Po Box 847, Burleigh Town Qld 4220
include a chapel, a dovecote (sadly empty at present but to be restocked after a stoat incident). Various walks through and under cherry trees, thyme bushes, magnolia trees, rhododendrons and azaleas, leading to structures such as fountains, pergolas, a pond and the gazebo to name a few. Even an old kauri stump has a place and may be the beginning of a stumpery - all the rage thanks to King Charles. Hedges abound and often followed the contour of the land; box, bay, fichus and more. Swathes of plantings - roses en masse, hydrangeas, dahlias and daisies and then the mixed herbaceous borders reminiscent of Gertrude Jekyll, including the Luyten Benches spaced about the garden. Areas for spring bulbs such as daffodils, bluebells and lily of the valley are found beside the house to give a restful ambience. It was a short stroll into Puriri Lane nursery and the storage area of the bus became a verdant picture of foliage. It was a memorable garden and we enjoyed a great Devonshire tea including scones laden with
We knew the lavender would be past its best at Willowbrook Lavender, but it was interesting to see the layout of the property with a huge flat house lawn setting off a well-maintained house with verandas, and the lavender area down a steep bank exposed to the morning sun. We saw a lavender pruning exercise which meant easy propagation of cuttings from the Super variety of lavender, chosen because of its ability to be processed into products sold at markets including Clevedon. Mary is winding down her property since the passing of her husband, but loves the setting which is the site of a former mental institution with old trees and other established properties.
Now that we have seen these gardens and met the gardeners, the Bombay area is more than just a hilly barrier to Auckland. Thank you Pat Hosking for organising these garden viewings– they showed the challenges of nature are well met by these innovative owners. Any enquiries concerning the club should go to Shirley Jensen 021 211 0433.
By Jenny Hunter
Devonshire tea time
Tip toe through the petunias
Local Board Update
By Louise Johnston
This does seem like the never-ending summer, and I must admit that I am checking the forecast hopeful of rain, as the garden and paddocks desperately need it. Below are number of important reminders:
Annual Budget:
Auckland Council and the Rodney Local Board annual budget/ plan is now out for consultation and feedback closes at 11.59pm on Friday 28 March 2025. For the Rodney Local Board, if everything goes to plan, we should have up to additional $8 million per year to spend but we need to know where to spend it and what the priority areas should be. It takes only 5 minutes to have your say, and the link is below or just google AKHAVEYOURSAY https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/annualplan-2025-2026
Pedestrian crossing in Coatesville Village:
Having secured the additional funding for the raised pedestrian crossing in the Coatesville Village (total project cost is $325K) public consultation on the design and project is now due to start. The consultation will be online, and letters will be sent out to approximately 850 nearby residents. The QR code is on the front cover of this issue and the link is: haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/coatesville-safety
Please note that your personal information is redacted and will not be publicly shared. Please make sure you have your say, even if it is to support the project because we have stopped projects in the past at this stage. This project has been in the pipeline since 2018 and it has recently become a hotly debated topic on Facebook. If you have completed a Facebook survey, this is not an official survey and will not be taken into account by the Rodney Local Board in any decision making.
Coatesville category 3 properties purchased by Council:
I have received several complaints this month regarding lack of maintenance and anti-social activities occurring at the properties that Council have purchased as they were deemed to have an intolerable risk to life during extreme weather events. Please make sure you report any issues to Council or email: recoveryoffice@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Also, the recovery team are capturing expressions of interest regarding future use of land and you can register your interest for a category 3 property by emailing recoveryoffice@ aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Please get in contact if you have any questions or are considering running for the Local Board this year as I would be more than happy to meet up to discuss the role Louise.Johnston@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Coatesvlle Classic Golf 2025
May I start by stating this article is AI, LLM, ChatGPT free. This is all human and therefore prone to error or embellishment, ie I will never ruin a good story with the truth.
The 9th Coatesville Golf Classic began on a slightly chillier morning than anticipated. We had Rory Bishop return after a few years absence who hosted the very first ever Coatesville Classic Golf hole back in 2016.
Twenty Four good and strong athletes assembled on Collings Drive at 8am for a hearty BBQ breakfast. With the initial blurb out of the way, Nat King presented a lovingly refurbished winner's trophy. We had a wonderful sponsor this year (2ndhandgolf.co.nz) who provided some great prizes and plenty of balls for the day. They do a great job of helping recycle lost golf balls and keeping our golf courses ‘green’. Once recycled, I would challenge you to spot the difference between recycled and new.
As is tradition, the day started with the the canon and last year’s winner (Nat King) led off. Now at this point I should mention there are some rules, one of which is, each player can only bring three clubs. This year, Nat chose to only bring one! Some speculated this was to give
everybody else a chance to win, but I suspect it was so he couldn’t lose a club. You may think that is strange, but every year most players not only lose many a ball, but often people lose one or two clubs along the way too! This maybe down to sheer focus and pressure the athletes find themselves under, or something to do with the alcohol consumed – I am not sure which. The first hole was also the ‘nearest the pin’ prize which was won by Jason Goodwin. Winning arguably the best prize of the day. We continued then to holes 2 and 3 hosted by Nat King and Matt Ellingham. Back we then
By Peter Savage
went to Mahoenui Valley Road to Nev's hole 4 which also had the additional prize for landing nearest a spot on the fairway
Nobody knew where it was, until after we had tee’d off and walked the fairway. Who should win but Jason Goodwin. He was clearly on fire today.
I should also mention at this point, another prize that we brought into play this year. Thanks to our lovely sponsors (did I mention 2ndhandgolf.co.nz) each player had a ball with their name inscribed. The winner of this prize was the person who lost their ball last. This was the Men's Ball Care award. At hole 4, we were probably down to just a handful of the athletes playing with their original balls. More to come on this later.
Onwards we went to hole 5 hosted by Maurice Hoban where a well deserved lunch awaited. At this point, I suspect you’re thinking, they have just had breakfast, played a couple of holes of golf and now eating again. Well, let me tell you we walk over 20,000 steps and mostly either up or downhill. Every year we comment on just how ridiculously difficult this whole thing is.
Athletes prepare for hole 5, Testes Tested
Hole 6 was to be a little controversial, as it was also the longest drive. There were 5 or 6 outstanding drives, but not all necessarily in the right direction. In the end, there were 3 contenders but only 1 winner. Although technically a longer drive by Flynn Story, he landed out of bounds and so the winner was declared as Andy Glasson.
final tee off. At this point I was quietly thinking, I had a crack at winning. Sadly, a duff tee shot soon killed that dream. Finally, the event drew to a close. Scorecards with less than 40 were taken in to establish the winner.
Before announcing the winner, there were a couple of prizes to give out. Duff shot of the day was won by Karl Sentch (this was the hardest category due to the stunning plethora of poor quality shots) but Karl won based on consistency and volume of duff shots. It must be an Ecoflow thing, as Derek Lachut certainly tried hard to bring that trophy home too.
Nat King won the Men's Ball Care award and won it with just the one club, impressive (or stupid – you decide). It was actually a close contest
as Jason Steele was desperate to keep playing with his ball and was often seen hunting in the bushes, but eventually gave up late in the day. There was just the B&B (I won’t say what this stands for) for spouting nonsense and was awarded to the very deserving Steve Williams who only joined us for the walk.
There was also a new ‘Legend’ award presented by Jason Steele, of which I was the grateful recipient. Thanks Jason and Shell Lubricants.
That then just leaves us with the winner of the 2025 Coatesville Golf Classic. You’ve read his name a couple of times, and he kept his winning streak – Jason Goodwin brings the trophy back to Collings Drive.
Then it was on to the last leg, down Collings Drive where we played one of the most difficult holes ever – hole 8, Hill Billie Hill. Approx 70meters in length but near vertical! The chances of landing on the postage stamp flat green was clearly impossible. So every good shot was watched seconds later rolling down the hill, gathering momentum until eventually it could go no further. It’s maybe the only time you will ever hear somebody in Coatesville praying for a small sprig of gorse, in the hope the ball would be stopped from the inevitable descent.
Then, as we all assembled at the base of ‘Mount Brett’ we chipped up onto the landing area, eventually. Happy we’d landed our ball on the green, but then really not looking forward to the ascent. Once complete we then had to ascend even further to head to Hobby's for the
Rory Bishop arrives from a night out
According to Annabelle
The aroma of home baking is a powerful influencer and understandably irresistible. Annabelle White reveals the powerful impact of both cinnamon and vanilla and it will surprise you.
My late grandmother said she bought her home in the 1950’s because there was the incredibly tantalising aroma of a fresh peach pie baking in the oven. To those who find that incredulous, very successful real estate agents have told me over the years that they put coffee beans on the hob to encourage the aroma of fresh coffee during open homes to help with a sale.
If you can take some more excitement, an American researcher released information a few years back on how smells can greatly enhance one’s love life – they said, if your partner is over 60, the aroma of vanilla makes them much more romantic and if under 60 it’s the aroma of cinnamon – I say go for both and be excessive. Life is too short for unnecessary disappointments.
Today’s fresh fruit cake can help as both cinnamon and vanilla feature here and it’s extraordinary in its versatility.
It's best eaten the day it’s made - and best eaten warm. Delicious served with softly whipped cream and yoghurt mixed together. Or, if that is not possible, a scoop of vanilla icecream. You can adapt it as per your need or want.
It’s one of those recipes that works every time and yes, it is different every time depending on the time/fruit and dietary considerations (GF or not GF). I make this cake more than any other cake – by popular demand.
Top Baking Tips
∞ Invest on some good baking tins – I use le Creuset and yes, they are not cheap but how many cake tins do you need in one lifetime? – so get a good one.
∞ Quality of flour is important – if you need to make it GF, I use Edmonds GF flour with this recipe and it works well.
∞ Just to add a little something extra – if you have a few ground almonds left in the pantry, take out some of the flour and use a mix of flour and ground almonds – yum!
∞ In the summer, use fresh fruit – but frozen berries and welldrained canned fruit work as well all year round.
∞ This is a great way to use up the last of our summer fruit and don’t worry if the fruit is not super ripe – it will still work fine. Just slice the fruit more thinly.
Fresh Summer Fruit Cake
This is an ideal dessert to bring to a barbecue. The topping varies according to the season and the variety of summer fruits available means you can make a different variation each day. Best eaten fresh, it is almost like a tart.
You will need
1¼ cups self-raising flour
¾ cup sugar
120g butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, room temperture
Approximately 4 cups sliced NZ summer fruit
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp butter (topping)
Method
Blend the flour and sugar together. Add the melted butter, vanilla and eggs. Pour the mixture into a greased, loose-bottomed 24cm cake tin. Slice the seasonal fruit, leaving the skin on stone fruits (plums, apricots, nectarines - but peel the peaches). Place the fruit on top of the cake, piling it up and pressing down a little. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and dot the butter over the fruit and bake 180degC for 1 hour.
* This is an incredibly easy cake to make and you will be delighted with the results. For even better results –simply use the same ingredients but cream the butter and sugar, adding the eggs, vanilla and flour last.
If your oven runs hot, check after 50-55 mins.
Annabelle White
Expect the Unexpected in Family Trusts
Alex and Sam had a blended family, each with children from their first relationships. They had a business and investment properties, all held within their trust. They were advised to establish their own trusts so they could separately provide for their respective children, but they thought the children got on well and it was simpler to have everything in one trust.
Alex and Sam felt like they worked as a team with their advisors to achieve the best for their families. They often talked about the “worst case scenario” and felt that their structure and documentation provided for anything life might throw their way.
Over the years, the trust had been able to pay for university fees for three out of four children. They had always maximized the tax flexibility of their trust, flowing income to the children to pay for these things and allocating a bit more to get the best tax results which were allowable under the tax rules relating to trusts. Sam’s daughter, Maddy, hadn’t gone to university but they still allocated income to her to achieve a good tax outcome.
Alex and Sam’s friend was an independent trustee of the trust. They didn’t have trustee meetings as
they thought everything was straight forward. She signed the accounts each year, but they didn’t review them together.
Then Maddy got a new partner, and things turned due to his negative influence. Things escalated one night when he asked questions about the trust and the benefits the other children had received.
A week later Sam received an email from Maddy, asking for financial information about the trust and the benefits the other children had received. Alex and Sam made a time to see their lawyer.
The lawyer provided information on the types of details beneficiaries could request under the Trusts Act. She looked at the most recent financial statements to the trust. Having a look at the beneficiary current accounts, she noted that Maddy was owed $250,525 by the trust, being income which had been allocated to her over the years, but not actually paid out. The lawyer said that this was a real debt owed by the trust to Maddy and that she could demand payment at any time. There were also potential tax issues with Maddy being considered a settlor of the trust because of the
Family Trusts. Changing Family Dynamics.
Many families establish trusts with the best of intentions. Providing financial security, protecting assets, and ensuring fairness among beneficiaries. However, even the most well-structured trusts can face unexpected challenges, especially when family dynamics change over time.
Without clear communication, regular professional oversight, and proper documentation, what once seemed like a straightforward and fair arrangement can quickly become a legal and financial headache, as well as an emotional strain on family relationships.
A trust is only as strong as its structure and management. Ensure yours is prepared for the unexpected—contact our Trusts & Wealth Protection Team for expert advice today.
amount owed to her by the trust.
This was distressing to Alex and Sam. In any other circumstances they could’ve explained to Maddy how the allocation had operated and that the funds could be used to benefit her over time. However, knowing the headspace that she was in now, who knew where this might end up.
While Alex and Sam were confident with how their trust and family dynamics worked, it took one incident for things to be upended. It would take some advice and time to solve this family drama.
Tammy McLeod, Trust Law specialist, Managing Director, Davenports Law
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Clean & Green
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Coatesville Mulch Mowing 1 to 50 acres, local contractor, affordable rates. Phone Warren and Brenda Mills on 415 6503 or 022 315 1953
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Gardener Are you looking for a gardener who will nurture and take care of your garden on a regular basis;
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GET IN SHAPE Local private gym for one-on-one training or small group sessions, specialising in weight loss, general fitness and rehabilitation. Call Debbie 027 441 8769.
Local Shearer, Kevin Abel, 021 223 5033
Mister Sharp Mobile Knife, Scissor & Garden Tool Sharpening Service. Onsite at your home or business, priced per item with no call-out charges - just a minimum spend please of $50. Ph 027 444 3348
Odd Job Company For building & landscaping projects, call Peter 027 453 0570
Painters & Decorators Marshall Painters can help with all your painting needs; interiors, exteriors, even waterblasting to make sure you get the top quality finish we're famous for. Call Marcus on 021 024 86516 or email marshallpainters@gmail.com.
Pilates in Coatesville Hall, Thursday @ 6pm. Special – 2 free lessons for new clients. $12 school term, $15 concession card and $20 casual class. Contact Abraham on 021 122 1530 or abrahampardo@gmail.com
Scout Marquee for hire, 6m x 8m, $250 per day. Call Garth 447 1863 The Blooming Beekeeper fully maintained beehive service. The ideal eco-friendly gift. Bee packages; beekeeping lessons; artisan bee products; swarm catching. Coatesville based. Call Val 021 755 833.
Who’s your caterer? Beautifully presented, great tasting food, at competitive prices. Phone Helen Cato 415 7771 or 021 211 8223.
Essential Autumn Maintenance
As the crisp air and colourful foliage of autumn settle n, it’s the perfect time to prepare your home for the cooler months ahead. Tackling seasonal maintenance now can help prevent costly repairs and ensure your home remains safe and comfortable throughout winter. Here are some key autumn maintenance tasks to focus on:
1. Clean Gutters and Downpipes Falling leaves and debris can quickly clog gutters and downpipes leading to potential internal water damage. Clean them out thoroughly, consider gutter guards as a prevention and ensure downpipes direct water away from the house to prevent flooding and erosion.
2. Inspect and Maintain the Roof Your roof is your first line of defence against harsh winter weather. Check for missing or damaged tiles, tile breaks, signs of leaks, and areas where water may pool. If necessary, schedule repairs during autumn as small issues can worsen in winter conditions.
3. Seal Gaps and Cracks Drafty homes are less energyefficient and more expensive to heat. Check for gaps around windows, doors, and vents, and seal them. This simple task helps keep warm air inside and cold air out, reducing energy bills.
4. Service Your Heating System Before temperatures drop, have your heating system inspected by a professional. Change air filters, check for leaks, and ensure everything is running efficiently. If you use a fireplace, schedule a chimney sweep.
5. Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors With increased indoor heating, the risk of fires and carbon monoxide leaks rises. Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, replace batteries if needed, and ensure they are in working condition. If you have a multilevel home then ensure they are installed on all levels.
6. Store Outdoor Furniture and Equipment Extend the life of your patio furniture and garden tools by cleaning and storing them properly. Cover or move outdoor furniture to a dry or other seasonal equipment before storing them for the winter. By completing these autumn maintenance tasks, you’ll ensure a safer, more efficient home during the colder months. Taking a proactive approach now will save you time, money, and stress when winter arrives.
I’m here to help with what to do and also for any local contacts you need. Call me today!
