Protect your home from water damage
Oct 25, 2011
As the temperature drops in the UK, many of us are preparing for the cold season. One of the most common events that homeowners suffer throughout the winter is water damage resulting from frozen pipes and/or blocked gutters.
There can be a number of circumstances that cause a leak, for instance; faulty pipe fitting, frost damage, ageing pipes, a tap left running or a toilet overflowing. Pipe failure can be dramatic; a standard 22mm pipe in a house with 3 to 5 bathrooms may lose up to 8,000 litres an hour. By comparison a bath normally uses 200 litres.
Water damage can be devastating and very costly to repair especially in a house containing high value decoration and soft furnishings. It can also be necessary for homeowners to move out of the home while repairs are taking place. This can be stressful for families as suitable accommodation needs to be found, close to schools and places of work.
Top tips for protecting your home
- Insulate water tanks, pipes and cisterns, especially in unheated areas like lofts and outbuildings.
- Check your mains water tap (or valve) is working in case the pipes do freeze so you are able to contain any subsequent water spill.
- Know where your water valves are and learn how to shut them off in the unfortunate event that the pipes burst in your property.
- If you are out, leave the heating on low to prevent pipes freezing or bursting.
- If your property is unoccupied then ideally you should drain the system before leaving the property empty (compulsory with some insurers) but you should also ask someone to check on it regularly during the winter months as burst water pipes can continue to flow for days until it’s been noticed and stopped.
- Sometimes a burst pipe is not apparent until the snow starts to melt and it is only then the split or broken seal reveals itself. At the time of the thaw homeowners should look out for damp patches on the ceiling and wall.
- Test taps regularly for water flow.
- Check for blocked gutters.
