April and May in Auckland sit in a useful window: summer is over, the worst of the pohutukawa seed drop has finished, and you are still months from the heavy winter rain that really tests gutters, roofs and exterior walls. If you are going to do exterior maintenance once a year, autumn is when it makes the most difference.
This is a practical checklist of what to look at, what order to do things in, and what is worth getting professionals in for versus what you can manage yourself.
Gutters — priority one in autumn
Pohutukawa flower debris, kauri leaves and general tree drop land in gutters through summer and build up over autumn. By the time winter rain arrives in June and July, a gutter that has not been cleared in 12 months can be significantly blocked — and blocked gutters overflow, sending water down exterior walls and eventually into wall cavities.
Clear gutters before the heavy rain season, not after. A single autumn clean is sufficient for most Auckland properties. Properties surrounded by mature native trees often need two clears per year — autumn and spring. See our gutter cleaning service for fixed pricing.
Do them yourself only if you are comfortable working at height on a stable ladder and can access all sides of the property. For a two-storey home, most people find the professional cost is worth avoiding the risk.
Roof — inspect and treat if needed
Walk around your property and look at the roof from ground level. If you can see green or black patches spreading across the surface, or dark streaking on light-coloured tiles, treatment before winter makes more sense than treatment in winter.
Why autumn specifically? The biocide we use needs a period of weather to cure before the heavy rain season. Autumn treatments applied in April or May have several weeks to set before winter arrives. Winter treatments work too, but the timing is less ideal.
If the roof has not been treated in more than 24 months and is shaded or surrounded by trees, autumn is the right time. See our roof moss treatment page for what to look for and what the process involves.
Exterior house wash
The south-facing walls and any shaded sections of your home have been accumulating mould and algae through the damp of late autumn. A house wash at this point removes what is there and gives the exterior a clean surface heading into winter.
The practical reason to wash in autumn: mould that is cleaned off before winter does not get driven into the exterior cladding by months of heavy rain. It also makes the property look better through the winter months rather than progressively worse.
Combining services
The most efficient approach for an annual autumn exterior clean is to combine roof treatment, gutter clearing and house washing in a single visit. We always work in that order — roof first, then gutters, then exterior walls — so debris that falls during the roof and gutter work gets washed off the exterior in the final step.
Book any combination from our multi-service bundle page, or use the booking calculator to add the services you need.
Carpet cleaning
Autumn is also when Auckland families shift from summer patterns — shoes back on inside, more time indoors, heating back on. Hot water extraction carpet cleaning before winter removes the summer accumulated dirt and allergens before the heating season starts circulating them through the air again. Particularly worthwhile in homes with pets or allergy sufferers.
The autumn checklist
- Gutters cleared before winter rain — April or May is ideal
- Roof checked for visible moss or lichen growth — treat if over 18 months since last treatment
- South-facing and shaded exterior walls checked for mould build-up
- Carpets cleaned if it has been 12 or more months or there is visible soiling
- Heat pump serviced before winter heating season — see heat pump servicing
Use the booking calculator to add the services you need and get an instant price. Same-week bookings available.