This New Year has been the warmest since UK records began. However, meteorologists are warning that normal icy, winter conditions will soon resume in early January.
We take this as an opportunity to remind you to make sure your home is prepared for the colder winter months. Take precautions to avoid the damage a frozen pipecan cause and the inconvenience a boiler breakdown brings.
We have 5 tops tips to help you get ‘winter ready’ and protect your home.
Ensure your boiler has a regular service
Calling out a registered engineer to service your boiler can provide peace of mind that it is safe and working efficiently, thereby preventing any disasters for when the cold weather arrives.
Leave the heating on to keep pipes from freezing
Leaving your heating on at a minimum or constant temperature keeps the pipes from freezing.
Setting the temperature too low or turning the heat off completely can cause pipes to freeze and burst – potentially flooding your home. Set your thermostat at a minimum of 12-15C during any particularly cold spells, especially when you’re away from the property overnight or longer.
Think about the areas in your home that won’t have any heating, such as lofts/attics, basements etc. You have probably insulated your loft but any pipework above the insulation level will be exposed to the cold temperatures. Ensure these and the water tank/s are lagged using the appropriate insulating materials.
If your property is going to be unoccupied overnight or longer, consider turning off the supply of water to the home and draining the water from your system completely.
Get insulated
Lag pipes, insulate and protect water tanks and cylinders. Pipes in unheated areas, especially the loft, garage, cellar or those fixed to the outside of external walls such as a condensate pipe from your boiler can be exposed to freezing temperatures.
Also, think about any outside taps and associated pipework. If these are not used during winter, think about isolating the water supply to the outside tap with an internal shut-off valve. Protect outside taps and exposed pipes with insulation.
Leave your loft hatch, kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open in freezing weather to ensure warm air is circulated around pipes under sinks or in the attic.
Turn taps on regularly to make sure there is a period flow of water through them.
Get smart
You may wish to consider installing a leak detection device. Get the right one and it will turn off the water supply if it suspects a leak and send a leak alert to your phone. Some also analyse water consumption and recognise abnormal usage trends – which provides an early warning of water leaks. These can be extremely useful in detecting leaks before they develop into a serious issue.
You can also use a ‘smart’ thermostat to remotely manage your heating during cold snaps and internal cameras to look for damage.
Find your stopcock
Do you actually know where in your home your stopcock is? You should find your stopcock and check it to ensure you can turn it off easily in an emergency. You may find it helpful to label your stopcock, so you can easily locate it in a hurry.
Should a problem occur ….
Ensure you and your family are safe from harm.
Turn off the water supply at the stopcock and contact a plumber as soon as possible. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may wish to turn off the electricity supply too.
Contact your home insurer as soon as possible to report the damage. Our claims department will advise you on the next steps involved to dry out the property and repair any damage caused.
Gather supporting evidence for your claim: take photos of the damage, keep damaged items, receipts and estimates for repair works.
Where there has been significant damage, your insurer may appoint a loss adjuster to assess the extent of the damage and assist with locating temporary accommodation if it is needed, the drying out and repairs to get your home back up and running as soon as possible.
Smith Greenfield is an independent insurance broker specialising in insurance for high value homes and collectors of valuable objects including: art insurance, antiques insurance, memorabilia insurance, vintage car insurance, fine wine insurance and more. To discuss specialist insurance for your home or collection, please contact our Premier Client Adviser, Imran Moideen, via email imran.moideen@smithgreenfield.co.uk or telephone 020 8603 3730.