Primecover News 3rd December 2010

As winter approaches and temperatures are dropping, it is so important to keep your pipes safe from the cold. Axa Insurance says that burst pipes, caused by water freezing and expanding, account for the majority of escape of water claims they receive every winter.

As well as the financial cost, burst pipes can cause considerable disruption to your everyday life. In some severe cases, you could need to move out of your home whilst repairs are carried out. You could also find that your Insurance premium may increase as a result of the claim.To keep your pipes protected throughout the winter period, here are seven simple steps for you to follow, should you plan on leaving your home for more than a few days at a time.

1. Keep your home’s central heating at a minimum temperature of 12 degrees C (54F), if it’s likely to drop below freezing whilst you are away.
2.  Insulate pipes in your home’s attic and crawl spaces, as these exposed pipes are likely to freeze. The more insulated they are, the better protected they will be.
3. Look for small gaps around the areas where your television, cable or telephone lines come through your wall, and seal them up to stop any cold air getting through.
4. As kitchen and bathroom cabinets can keep warm air from reaching pipes under sinks and in adjacent outside walls, keep the cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate.
5. Lag your loft, cold water storage tank and water pipes.
6. Leave your loft hatch door open, as allowing warmer air to reach the loft can stop your water tank freezing.
7. If you are away for a long time over the winter, it may be even worth draining your system completely.

Our advice to Landlords is, depending upon the cover that has been selected at inception of your policy; a claim for escape of water may not be insured. If the property is vacant, there will also be additional conditions expressly stated within the policy or schedule that need to be complied with. If you are in any doubt as to the cover provided or action required, contact us on 01204 841880.

Finally, it’s always worth asking a friend or neighbour to check your house once a week whilst you are away, to make sure everything is in order.

Article published on: 03/12/2010

< Back to News