According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the insurance industry pays out £2.5m every day to customers for escape of water home insurance claims. That includes problems caused by burst and frozen pipes, or leaks caused by old and corroded pipes.
Here are our top tips to minimise disaster at home this winter.
Escape of water
Escape of water can be truly devastating to businesses and home owners.
– Find your main stopcock and make sure you can turn it on and off
– Repair any dripping taps. This will help prevent water from freezing
– Check your lagging. All pipes and tanks in loft spaces, and anywhere else which could be liable to freezing, should be fully lagged
Frozen pipes
If a pipe has burst, turn off the water at the main stopcock. Switch off your central heating and any other water heating installations.
Keep contact details for your insurance broker in an easy to find place and make sure professional repairs are carried out before you turn anything back on.
All common sense but worth a reminder!
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