We want to highlight some potential risks and hazards that homeowners should consider in preparing for the winter months. These routines and common practices may seem small; however, they make a significant difference in protecting your home.
Different Types of Hazards
We want to highlight some potential risks and hazards that homeowners should consider in preparing 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.
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. NEVER use electrical appliances as they may be wet!
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.
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).
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 with some common hazards that can pose a risk to your home.
Wind:
- Drive slowly to maintain control and hold the steering wheel firmly.
- Open areas are most susceptible to strong gusts of wind. Smaller roads are prone to strong side winds and wind tunnel effects.
- In extremely high winds, avoid overtaking and ensure you give other road users, especially cyclists extra space.
Flooding:
Is there an alternative route you can take? Only attempt to cross a flooded road as a last resort
- Stop and assess. Check the depth of water and the state of the road underneath. Check for other hazards including, floating debris or downed power lines, where the electric current could be conducted by water.
- Avoid passing other drivers as larger vehicles can create waves higher than expected.
- Aim for the highest part of the road (usually the middle), as most roads are designed to let water drain off the sides.
- Look out for hidden dips where the water could be deeper.
- Park on high ground, ideally at the top of a hill or slope. Don’t forget to apply your handbrake securely.
Fog:
- Clean your mirrors and demist both of your windscreens.
- When you’re approaching fog, check your mirrors and slow down if it’s safe to do so.
- Make sure to take a high-vis jacket and a warning triangle in case of an accident.
- The Highway Code (rule 226) says you can turn fog lights on when visibility has dropped below 100m.
- Whilst it’s not illegal to drive without fog lights, it’s best to do so, to ensure other drivers can see you.
- Make sure you switch off your fog lights when visibility improves.
- You are legally obligated to use your headlights in foggy conditions.
Keeping your car in good shape throughout Winter is important. Especially your windscreen. Here are some tips we pulled together to help protect yours:
How To Maintain Your Windscreen Wipers
Protecting your windscreen wipers prevents damaging your windscreen glass.
- Check your wipers regularly to make sure they’re in good condition (rubber should be soft and flexible).
- Clear any debris trapped under the blades and check for small pebbles.
- If there’s frost coming, lift your wiper blades up to prevent damage, as cold weather can crack the rubber.
- Consider replacing your wipers if they smear when turned on.
Deal with chipped or cracked windscreens quickly
Driving with a windscreen chip or crack could be an offence under the Road Traffic Act.
- Repairing chips quickly means less time, money and environmental impact compared to replacing them.
- Every time you clean your car, check your windscreen inside and out.
Did you know your car could fail its MOT if your windscreen chip or crack is over 10mm in the driver’s direct line of vision or over 40mm?
Easy Steps to De-Ice Your Windscreen
- Use a proper ice scraper or de-icer spray.
- Count to ten after spraying the de-icer to let the chemicals work.
- Remove melting ice with your scraper.
- Wait for the windscreen to clear before setting off.
Keeping Safe On The Roads
For your safety, make sure you also equip your vehicle with tyres designed for these conditions. You’ll need a tyre with a suitable rubber compound and tread for optimal grip.
Which tyres are best for the winter months?
Modern manufacturers create specific rubber compounds and treads to suit several conditions. Tyre sellers suggest that when the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius, it’s time to swap out standard summer tyres for those designed to handle colder climates.
Breaking distances typically increase with winter tyres when the temperature reaches 20 degrees Celsius or more. So, it’s important to keep on top of changing weather conditions and swap back to summer tyres when the temperature rises.
What to consider about all-weather tyres
All-weather tyres can be hassle-free and more cost-effective for weather all year round. However, they usually offer less traction than seasonal tyres in both winter and summer. Of course, it depends on the weather conditions in your area, if you rarely see snow, an all-weather tyre might be enough for your vehicle.
When should I fit winter tyres?
As we don’t tend to have much snow in the UK, the choice to fit winter tyres should be down to personal preference and geographical location. It’s sensible to switch tyres when temperatures drop below 7 degrees Celsius or between October and March. While it’s not a legal requirement to fit winter tyres in the UK, this is the safest option for snow and ice or cold and damp conditions.
Will I ever need snow chains?
If you’re driving abroad during the winter, or travelling in snowy conditions, you might have to think about adding snow chains. Due to the harsh metal construction of the chain, these should be seen as a last resort and only used when there’s a thick blanket of snow on the roads.
Chains can cause damage to road surfaces and can have an adverse effect on the way a car drives. Switching to winter tyres, and back to summer ones, could keep you safer on the roads.
