Money hacks Getting your home ready for autumn and winter

The heavy rain and winds of recent weeks confirm that autumn is here. The warm summer months are behind us and it's time to carry out some checks to make sure your home is ready for chillier weather.

- Shane Hickey

If your boiler has not had its annual service its time to book one. This will ensure it is working as it should and uncover problems before they become bigger. Some boiler warranties will say the unit has to be serviced once a year to continue cover. Keeping a boiler serviced will also help you avoid repair costs in the future.

The website Checkatrade puts the average cost of a service at between £80 and £120, although there may be further fees to fix any problems. Make sure you use a Gas Safe registered engineer - you can find one, or check an engineer is signed-up, at gassaferegister.co.uk.

Put the central heating on and check each radiator to see whether part or all of it stays cold. If so, you will need to bleed it to release the trapped air inside. You will need a radiator key (50p to £3 in a DIY shop). Turn off the central heating and then open the valve with the key, releasing the air and closing it once water comes out.

To increase the efficiency of your heating, you can fit reflector panels behind radiators on external walls to reflect heat back into the room instead of losing it. Three panels are available from B&Q for £23.90.

Check that your thermostat is set to the lowest comfortable temperature, which is usually 18C-21C. If you turn it down by one degree you can save £60 on heating bills, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Experts recommend that heating controls that are more than 14 years old be replaced with more modern versions.

Fix draughts