Winter Is Coming - How To Protect Your Home

Winter is coming – or some may say as I am writing this on a cold and snowy day in November - it has already arrived! Experts are saying that in the United Kingdom we are going to have one of the worst snowfalls in years! You may want to read the following article for more information

Have you invited people over for the holidays or are you visiting friends and relatives – or both?

Whatever arrangements you have made it will be much better if you can sit there safely being sociable with friends and family away from home and not be interrupted by an emergency call from a neighbour telling you that there is a water leak coming from your house! This happened to us one Christmas – a frozen pipe in the garage caused a flood and as we were too far away the wonderful neighbour spent most of Christmas day attempting to sort it out. Luckily he did, otherwise everything that was stored in the garage would have been damaged.

Some of the problems some people face at winter time with leaky taps, blocked guttering and frozen pipes? If you aren’t aware of these problems then you may come back to a crisis which needs to be sorted out there and then.

Here are a few tips in preparation to decrease the possibility of this happening.

How to protect your pipes from freezing

If we have a cold snap then water can easily freeze inside, causing the pipes to burst. If you are away from your house or the burst pipe is hidden behind a wall then this can cause hundreds of pounds of damage to your floors, furniture and ceilings. To lessen the probability of frozen pipes then they should be insulated with foam where possible. Ask in your local DIY shop and they will be able to inform you of the work needed or consult your local plumber or energy provider.

Look out for any plumbing leaks you may have at the present

If you have any leaky taps or pipes get them checked out now before they get worse. Any outdoor hosepipes, waterfalls, fountains etc. should be turned off during the early winter months and any water contained inside should be flushed out. Consult a professional if you are unsure of how to do this.

Roofs

As the icy winds begin to blow and the leaves are falling everywhere it is the time to look at your guttering – debris accumulating in your guttering can lead to expensive repairs as water can get backed up and then freeze on your roof. The ice can create dams that prevent other water and snow from making it down the spout – this then causes water damage as it seeps through the roof into your home. You can avoid this by cleaning out those leaves and mosses that sit in your gutters. Be on the look-out for tiles that are loose or missing as these can cause damage to buildings when the wind arrives. It's also worth removing any old TV aerials  that are not longer in use, as these are prone to falling down causing damage to the roof and anything below.

Boilers

Boilers are prone to breaking down in winter because they have been inactive during the late Spring, Summer and early Autumn months. They are turned on in the winter and are put under great strain. The best way to remedy this potential problem is too actually turn on the heating throughout the year for a short while, yes even in summer. This helps to keep everything running smoothly during the winter months. If your boiler isn’t giving adequate heat, check the boiler pressure. If it isn’t working consistently then ask a trusted plumber to check it over, before any potential breakdown.

Fees for repairs can be costly!