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You
need insurance cover for whatever the weather. Adequate
Buildings insurance Keep your home / investment protected Whatever
the time of year your property can be exposed to "weather" conditions.
Most people immediately think of the winter when a property can freeze up, however
remember storms and flooding can occur throughout the year. Listed below are some
helpful tips on how to protect your property against bad weather conditions. All
Year - Safeguard against flooding: Gutters:
If your gutters are not clean and full of leaves
and water can't drain away in the downpipes- clean them out and do this annually
so that water does not penetrate under the eaves and rot timber. Drains:
Are your drains working properly. If they are
not and there is heavy rainfall you can avoid flash flooding if they clear. Check
them annually. If
you live in area that could have flooding make sure you are prepared with: Sandbags
to block doors. Torches and spare batteries - Keep a radio that
can be used on battery power so you can listen to information broadcasts. Keep
your mobile phone is charged up. If you have to vacate your home - lock
valuables away (upstairs). Move any essentials upstairs. Switch off electrical
power supply to avoid electric shocks. Make sure you have some can of food
and a small butane gas cooker. Ensure that you have plenty of candles. All
Year - Safeguard
against storms Roofs
- Slates/tiles:
Make sure that roofs and checked regularly. You can
often spot a slipped tile or slate from looking at the property from outside and
worn gulleys will not hold a lot of water. If there has just been a heavy storm
this is when the damage can occur. Trees:
A decayed or partly decayed tree that is rotting can be hazardous (although
in a violent storm any tree whatever its condition is vulnerable) so check that
branches are trimmed and checked for rot and do not pose a danger to properties
or overhead electrical lines. Storm
Warning: Are you prepared? Make sure you - Secure all doors, gates and windows. If
that garden fence that was not too secure has not been repaired - repair it. Put
away unsecured items in the garden. Keep
pets indoors. Check
that torches and batteries are working and that your mobile telephone is charged
up. When
using candles - oil lamps / gas lights take great care. Winter
- Safeguard
against the cold Some
years the colder weather comes earlier, some years later and some years can be
much colder than others. Regardless you should ensure that your property is properly
prepared. Taps:
Do they drip - If you need washers changed get these done. Apart from water now
becoming a precious commodity, many properties are on meter so you pay for all
the wastage. These drips can freeze when the weather turns bad. Pipes:
Are the water pipes in your attic (and any other "exposed" areas properly
lagged? If not get these attended to.If you have water tanks in the attic these
must be well insulated. Roofspace
/Attics: Is this insulated. Apart from wasting a lot of money on energy "escaping
through the roof and not effectively heating the house" insulation will help
prevent the house from freezing. Make sure that you have an electric light in
the attic for ease of checking pipes and tanks. Mains
water stop cock valve /tap: Make sure you know where this is located and any
sub stop cocks.These are often located in the hall or kitchen (under the sink).
If you have an outside tap they often have a sub stop cock tap inside and it is
worthwhile to turn this off during the winter when the outside supply is not being
used. Ensure that the stop cock valves work properly.If they do not get
them repaired. Heating:
If it is really cold set the heating to come on for a while during the night
or even keep it on low during the night. When the property is unoccupied leave
this on at regular intervals.It might seem a waste of money, but it is a lot better
than coming home to a frozen house! If
you are going away, alternatively you can turn everything off. Do not think that
by turning off the main stop cock will help. In many properties there are radiators
(filled with water that can freeze), pipes leading to them and of course hot and
cold water tanks. These all need to be emptied and "drained down" and
this can be quite a lengthly job that requires a plumber. If you do this yourself
make sure that all electric tank are switched off and central heating boilers.
N.B.
This information should not be relied on for accuracy and is presented here without
the responsibility of jml Property Service and the website it is being displayed
at. ©jml property Services 12-05 See
also Is
your home fully protected for winter? Article by Philip Suter 
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