Wintry weather could be coming and with it the potential for property to be damaged if the temperature gauge drops. Here we provide some tops tips for homeowners and landlords to help protect your property in the weeks to come.
- If leaving the property for any length of time – even for a short break - leave the heating on a low setting (or ensure it comes on at least one hour a day) to ensure there’s no risk of water freezing, and subsequently expanding, in any pipework. It could easily lead to a burst water pipe.
- To prevent this further, insulate any external water pipes and the loft water storage tank, if you have one, and ensure any external water taps are also insulated.
- Make sure you know where the mains water stopcock is and how it can be turned off in case a water pipe does freeze, and until you can warm the pipe up again; ideally using hot towels or water bottles instead of direct heat.
- Prevent condensations and even mould, which can be a health risk, by keeping your property well ventilated using air vents, extractor fans and open windows where possible, even if it’s just for a short amount of time during winter months. Avoid drying clothes on radiators or in confined spaces too for the same reason. Position your washing instead near an open window or somewhere with good airflow.
- Be careful about additional heating appliances being used to warm up rooms. Some can be dangerous if left unattended or cost a lot of money to run. Always ensure instructions are followed and that they are regularly checked for defects.
- Understand how the boiler works – and make sure it’s regularly checked (every 12 months is ideal) but also know what to do if it stops working. Condenser boilers, for example, sometimes have external outlet pipes that can freeze, cause a blockage and shut the boiler down. It can often be prevented by insulating the external condensate pipe or by leaving the heating on overnight but, as this may be expensive, it might be worth checking for tips on the website of your boiler manufacturer.
- Check guttering for damage or blockages that could see collected water freeze, expand and then cause the guttering to fall or overflow and then water to freeze at lower levels.
Overall we’d definitely recommend taking time to check your property is ready for any ‘big freeze’ to come, knowing that prevention is often better than the cure.
If you’d like further help or guidance about keeping your property protected during the winter months, simply contact one of our branches for help.
The Reeds Rains Content Marketing Team
