Even though we don’t know how this winter will look or what to really expect we can prepare ourselves, our homes and our cars for the season ahead.
Preparing Your Home
- Ensure gutters are clear (of leaves, moss, debris etc) so that water can flow through easily. Clearing gutters can prevent damage such as water penetrating into the loft, and dampness from occurring both inside and outside of your home and helps protect the structural integrity of your home
- Your central heating service provider can provide a valuable pre-winter health check which can improve the efficiency of heating
- Bleed radiators, if they’re colder at the top than they are at the bottom, chances are there’s some air trapped inside
- To help keep your boiler in good health when the weather is cold, put your heating on for at least one hour a day. It’s important to check your boiler pressure, which should sit at about one (depending on your boiler) if it’s too high or low – contact a specialist!
- Where’s your stopcock? If the water in your pipes freezes, the pressure can build up resulting in the pipes bursting. Knowing where your stopcock is located is important, as you can quickly stop the water supply and minimise any damage to the property.
- Be aware of weather warnings and check the Met Office reports
- If there’s a risk of flooding try to move as many possessions into any upstairs rooms. If you have been flooded, please do not enter your property until you know the electricity mains have been switched off and NEVER use electrical appliances as they may be wet!
Frozen Pipes
Damage and disruption from frozen and burst pipes can be significant, for people and their homes. Home insurers settled roughly 12,000 weather-related claims for burst pipes in 2023, with the average claim exceeding £17,000.
A few simple steps can help to prevent pipes from freezing and the ABI is urging people to act now.
To reduce the risk of frozen pipes this winter:
- Taking some simple steps like insulating water pipes and water tanks in the loft, using draught excluders around doors can help keep your home warm and reduce energy bills.
- If you have a smart thermostat, most will have an anti-frost setting to keep your home heated to a very minimal temperature that will stop pipes from freezing. If you do not have a smart meter, most radiators will have a setting with a snowflake symbol – turn to this setting to allow minimal water flow between pipes and radiators to prevent freezing. Consider setting the heating on a timer if you are going away.
- Know where your stopcock, that turns off the incoming water supply, is and test that it works. It is usually found under the kitchen sink. If you cannot locate it ask a neighbour or seek advice from an approved plumber.
- If you are going on holiday, or leaving your home unoccupied, consider turning off the water at the stopcock or leaving your heating on a timer to reduce the risk of pipes freezing and bursting while you’re away. See below on if your home is unoccupied.
- Repair any dripping taps. This will help prevent water from freezing.
If your pipes freeze:
- Immediately turn the water mains off via the stopcock. Wait for the pipes to warm up, or you can try and thaw them with a hot water bottle.
- Do not attempt to dislodge the ice using a hammer or melt it with a blow touch, it is highly likely that this will cause more damage.
- Move any possessions, such as furniture or clothing, which are near frozen pipes in case the pipe bursts.
If your pipe bursts:
- Turn off the water at the stopcock. Switch off central heating and any other water heating installations. Open all taps to drain the system.
- Move any possessions, such as furniture or clothing, to prevent further damage to property.
- In both instances, contact your insurer straight away to seek advice, many insurers operate 24-hour helplines. They will advise on next steps and help to arrange professional repairs to be carried out.
If you plan to leave your home unoccupied check your home insurance policy to see if there are any restrictions in cover or specific requirements if your home is left unoccupied for more than a specified period of time, such as 30 days or more.
Open fires and candles may seem like a good way to keep your heating bills down, but they will significantly increase the risk of home and possessions being damaged or destroyed by fire.
If using an open fireplace, ensure that the chimney and flues are inspected by a specialist and cleaned if they have not been used for some time. Make sure you use a fireguard.
Your local fire brigade should be able to give you some advice about heating your home safely.
Preparing Your Car
- Check you have enough (if not more) fuel for your journey
- Get your car serviced before winter arrives
- Check the battery
- Keep antifreeze and screen wash topped up in line with your vehicle manufacturer’s instructions
- Ensure your tyres are correctly inflated and replace them before the tread reaches the legal minimum of 1.6mm – better tread will result in better grip
- Change the radiator fluid in your vehicle every other autumn. A 1:1 mix of water and anti-freeze has been shown to give the best protection against both freezing and boilover. Plus, you will have the added benefit of removing harmful acids that build up in engine coolant over time.
- Clean your exterior lights and check that all lights and indicators are working
- Carry an emergency kit in your car in case of a breakdown (mobile phone charger, hazard warning triangle, hi-visibility vest and/or jacket, first aid kit, de-icer and scraper, a shovel, a tow rope, wellington boots or sturdy walking boots, a torch, warm clothes, a blanket, food and drink).
- Don’t leave your vehicle unattended while it is defrosting. During winter weather there are always reports of thieves stealing cars left unattended in these circumstances.
- Make sure your windscreen is properly defrosted before you start your journey, but never pour hot water on it to melt the ice as this could crack the glass.
- Clear off any snow from your vehicle before you start your journey, as this could pose a hazard to road users around you.
- Don’t drive through flood water, it may be deeper than it looks or contain hidden hazards and could damage your car.
- Keep your vehicle well maintained – make sure your front and back windscreen wipers are working properly, and if needed switch to winter tyres.
- If you’re driving an electric vehicle, keep the battery charged and avoid sudden acceleration or breaking where possible to conserve battery power.
- Always be prepared – ensure your mobile phone is fully charged and carry a charger and portable battery. Have warm clothes, blankets, water and non-perishable food in your vehicle.
- Keep up to date with weather reports, and follow police advice on whether or not it is safe to drive.
- Your insurance will still be valid if you’re driving during a red weather alert, but we advise you pay close attention to local authority and policy warnings.
There are many different standard practices and ways to ensure that you’re not caught cold during the icy grip of winter. Throughout our guide, we’ll highlight some of these routines whilst providing you know some common hazards that can pose a risk to your home.
Different Types of Hazards
We want to highlight some potential risks and hazards that homeowners should consider to prepare for the winter months. These routines and common practices may seem small; however, they make a significant difference in protecting your home.
Storm Damage
We all know that storms can cause many problems to your home and outside possessions, with strong winds and heavy rainfall becoming a headache for many homeowners. On top of this, wayward debris can become an ongoing problem for your building.
If it’s safe to do so, we recommend removing any tree branches or other potential objects that might impact your building. It’s better to be safe than sorry – don’t hesitate to call experts to aid you should the item pose a potential risk to your property. Ensuring that your roof and windows are intact can make all the difference in protecting your building.
Flooding and Escape of Water
Rainfall, ice, and snow are often accompanied by the enhanced chance of flooding and escape of water, which can be devasting for policyholders. Therefore, we recommend checking your external pipework regularly to check for any potential leakages. According to Welsh Water, signs of a leaky pipe may come in the form of the following:
- Areas of lush vegetation
- A significant drop in water pressure
- A hissing noise near your internal stop tap
- Damp patches on the ground
- An unexplained change on your bill.
Winter comes hand in hand with the increased risk of water damage to your home due to heightened rainfall and frost, along with strong winds and harsh weather conditions testing your property’s integrity. Certain features of your house may be affected more than others, such as pipes, toilets, showers, and baths.
Checking in with your plumber or local water authority can help reduce the chances of water leakage and damage. Hiring a professional to assess the age of your pipes can ensure that your water features throughout the home are up to scratch without corrosion and rust.
Impact on Buildings
Substantial snowfall can weigh a lot more than homeowners might expect, which strains areas of your building, such as the roof. In addition, as the weather gets colder, this snow can freeze and compress, becoming much heavier. When this snow melts, the water residue can sink through gaps in your property’s structure, which will need to be addressed to prevent further risk of damage.
Collapsing and fracturing structures can cause many headaches for homeowners across the country, which is worsened by declining weather conditions. Drainage systems, like drainpipes, can also be affected because of heavy snow – increasing the risk of damage to your home.
Clearing your gutters can significantly reduce the risk of debris and snow building up in your drainage systems, avoiding any potential headaches later down the line. Debris can include anything from general dirt and similar elements to leaves and sticks. If you have a tree close to your roof, then it’s likely that some of these might make an appearance from time to time, especially after autumn, so it’s good to address this in the early winter months.
Roofs should be checked twice a year and maintained when necessary to ensure the structure is undamaged. The linings of your home can degrade and begin to thin over time, which can cause leaks. If your building is an older build, then it’s worth checking the structural integrity of your property to make repairs where suitable.
Travel
Cold weather may disrupt your travel plans. If you are due to fly, check the advice from your air carrier or the airport. If your flight is cancelled, speak to your tour operator or air carrier. Where your flight is delayed, or transport disruption due to the bad weather means that you miss your flight, then you may be able to claim under your travel insurance. Check your policy for details, including limits on what you may be able to claim for.
