00VILLA GUIDE
Villa checks before the cooler months
Summer is the hardest season on a villa: AC runs most of the day, roof membranes and sealants bake, pools work overtime and irrigation runs long. When the heat breaks, the house is tired. Autumn is the time to find what summer damaged — before the occasional winter rain finds it for you — and to set systems back to cooler-weather settings.
01PART
Air conditioning after a long season
After months of near-continuous running, filters are clogged, drain trays hold slime and condensers are coated in summer dust. Cleaning now restores efficiency for the warm spells that still come, and finds problems while technicians are less busy.
- Clean filters and check condensate drains.
- Note any unit that struggled in August.
- Look at outdoor units for dust, rattles and damaged fins.
02PART
Roof, terraces and drains before the rain
Winter rain is rare but often heavy. Roof drains blocked with summer sand, sealant cracked by heat and membranes damaged around rooftop equipment are where leaks start. A walk-round of roofs and terraces before the first storm is time well spent.
- Clear roof and terrace drains.
- Check sealant at windows and door thresholds.
- Look for blisters or splits around AC condensers and tanks.
03PART
Pool, garden and gates
Pool pump run times and chemical dosing can come down as water cools. Irrigation programmes should shorten too — overwatering in winter wastes water and keeps walls damp. Gate motors that struggled in the heat often recover, but worn parts show up now.
- Reduce pool pump run time to suit cooler water.
- Shorten irrigation schedules.
- Check gate tracks, hinges and safety beams.
04QUESTIONS
- Why check in autumn rather than spring?
- Autumn finds the damage summer caused before winter rain exposes it; spring checks prepare for the next summer.
- Can the AC be serviced in winter?
- Yes, and it is often easier to schedule than in early summer.
- Should irrigation be reduced in winter?
- Yes. Plants need less water, and overwatering keeps walls and foundations damp.