What home jobs should you do in October?

October home maintenance checklist

The jobs that fit October are short, preventive ones that keep water, damp and mosquitoes out before the wetter months. Most need only a torch, a brush and a cloth. Work through this October home checklist room by room and tick items off as you go.

• Clear leaves and dirt from any gutters and drains you look after.
• Check window seals for cracks and make sure each catch locks.
• Wash aircon filters and check that no water drips from the indoor unit.
• Tip out standing water from pot plates, pails, vases and dish rack trays.
• Clear hair and leaves from balcony floor traps and check they drain freely.
• Look for new ceiling stains or damp patches after heavy rain.
• Check extension cords for cracks, scorch marks and loose plugs.
• Keep the laundry area dry, with its floor trap clear and the washing machine hoses in good condition.
• Press the test button on each smoke alarm.

If a ceiling stain appears, mark its edge lightly in pencil and check it after the next storm. A stain that keeps growing needs a contractor to trace the source. Anything you could not finish from the September home checklist can join this list, and the November home checklist picks up the next round of jobs.

Weather this month

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) describes the inter-monsoon months, which include October, as transitional periods with light and variable winds. Thunderstorms, at times severe, occur in the afternoon and early evening. MSS also notes that the Northeast Monsoon runs from December to early March, and that higher rainfall occurs from November to January during its wet phase (MSS: Climate of Singapore).

For your home, that pattern sets the order of work. Afternoon storms test gutters, drains, window seals and balcony floor traps now, and longer wet spells follow in the months after. Plan outdoor jobs, such as clearing a balcony drain or sweeping leaves off a ledge you can reach safely, for earlier in the day. Close windows before you go out in the afternoon, and bring in laundry and loose items from the balcony. For the longer wet spells ahead, read our guide to monsoon home care.

Mosquito checks

Rain leaves small pools in places you might not notice. The National Environment Agency (NEA) asks households to do the Mozzie Wipeout and remove stagnant water every week, and notes that Aedes mosquitoes can breed in water as small as a 20-cent coin (NEA: Stop Dengue Now). Once a month, NEA advises adding the prescribed amount of sand granular insecticide to vases, gully traps and roof gutters, even if they are dry, and clearing fallen leaves from roof gutters and apron drains (NEA: Other preventive measures).

Around a flat, check pot plates, pails, basins, the tray under a dish rack, vases and anything left on the balcony that can catch rain. Turn containers over or store them indoors, and go round again after a heavy storm, not only on your weekly check.

For a fuller routine, room by room, see how to prevent mosquito breeding at home.

Aircon and windows

Damp weeks and a dusty filter can leave an aircon smelling musty. Clean the filters now and check them each month while you use the aircon often. Our guide shows how to clean an aircon filter step by step.

Then check drainage. Water dripping from the indoor unit, or a damp streak on the wall below it, often points to a blocked drain pipe or tray. Stop using that unit and ask an aircon servicing company to check it.

Before the afternoon storms, check that each window shuts fully and the catch locks firmly, that rubber seals are not cracked or peeling, and that drainage holes in sliding tracks are clear. Move pots and loose items off ledges. If a catch is loose or a seal is worn, have it repaired, and ask the company whether window repairs are part of its work.

Indoor safety

Stormy afternoons often mean more appliances in use indoors, so check what powers them. Look along each extension cord for cracked casing, scorch marks or a plug that feels loose or warm. Replace a damaged cord rather than taping it. Do not plug one power strip into another, run cords under rugs, or leave them on floors that get wet, such as the laundry area or balcony.

Then press the test button on each smoke alarm. If it stays silent, change the battery or the whole unit as the maker's instructions say. Wipe the vents gently with a dry cloth so dust does not block the sensor.

For more checks, use our home fire safety checklist.

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