Winter Weather Advice

So according to various reports in the media, we are in for a bitter winter this year and maybe even record levels of snowfall in November!!

With this in mind, property owners should take some appropriate steps in order to mitigate any potential exposures to claims that the cold weather can bring.

The main risk faced by homeowners by freezing weather is burst pipes.
Water freezes within the pipes, expands, splits the pipe and causes water to escape when the ice thaws.

There are some simple and inexpensive checks and changes you can make to your property to help avoid a loss.

• Ensure your pipes and tanks are well lagged
• If the property is unoccupied you can either drain the water system or, if it is thermostatically controlled, the heating system should be left to operate at a minimum temperature of 15 degrees celcius.
• If you have a gravity fed water system (water tank in the loft), the loft can often get cold due to the loft insulation preventing the warmth from coming through from below. If the property is unoccupied it is best to get this drained. Alternatively, if it is being used to heat the property, you could leave the loft hatch open to ensure some warm air enters the loft.

One thing to note if you do have an unoccupied property is that you may not be covered for burst pipes or escape of water. Check your policy schedule carefully to see which perils you are covered against. Incidentally, we offer unoccupied property policies that can cover all perils including burst pipes and escape of water.

For more information, please contact our Commercial team on 01249 463206 or visit www.advanceinsurance.co.uk