Cold Comfort for Homeowners

Winter brings ice, snow, gale-force winds and driving rain – weather elements that are responsible for costing £693.36 for the average home. UKwide, the cost of winter related damage to homes amounts for some £16.7 billion every year.

Some of the most common and costly damage includes cracked heating pipes, flooded homes, cracks in the walls, slates blown from roofs and blocked drains and gutters. The biggest hit on home owners is damaged pipes, which can cost around £2,250 to repair. A third of people have had to repair their roofs during the winter, with more than one in 10 of them spending up to £250 to sort it out.

The study, carried out by Direct Line Home Insurance, reveals that Scotland, unsurprisingly, bears the brunt of winter home damage, with nearly one in five homes having burst or frozen pipes.

Garden damage, including fences blown over and smashed garden furniture, can cost as much as £5,000 to repair. Localised flooding is a big problem, with nearly one person in five experiencing flooding in the garden, house or garage.

More than half the 3,000 people questioned said they worried that their home was more prone to damage during the coldest season. However, a staggering 62.2 per cent took no measures to protect it!

When the temperature plummets, there are simple safeguards that can help keep your home safe from winter damage.

When weather warnings arise, ensure all accessible pipes and tanks in the loft space are fully lagged and check that the loft insulation is thick and in good condition. Locate the main stopcock and make sure it can be turned on and off. When the temperature dips below freezing, leave central heating on at all times to maintain an air temperature of at least 5°C.

If pipes or tanks become frozen, turn off the water at the main stopcock or meter. Switch off the boiler or immersion heater and turn on all your taps to drain the system. Turn off the electricity at the mains. If water has flooded wiring or electrical systems, don’t touch them before arranging a professional inspection.

Simon Ziviani from Direct Line Insurance says, “Homeowners need to prepare their homes, particularly in high risk areas in northern and eastern Scotland. The simple measures listed can reduce or prevent the most common types of damage sustained to homes during extreme cold conditions.”