Homeowners advised to protect homes from cold

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Homeowners advised to protect homes from cold

Mon 21st Dec 2009

Consumers should make sure that their homes are equipped to prevent water from damaging their properties during the cold weather this winter, according to Aviva.

The insurance provider revealed that it saw a 500 per cent increase in claims last winter for damage caused by water, following the cold snap.

Damage to residences was worse than usual last year, as the cold weather came at the end of the holidays when many people were not at home, meaning the leaks and damage were not identified until later.

But, by taking simple steps, like repairing dripping taps and insulating on top of pipes to trap heat in, will help to prevent pipes bursting and damage being caused.

Greg Gladwell, director of household claims at Aviva, said: "Because it is quite rare to have such cold snaps many homeowners forget that freezing and burst pipes can be a real problem - in some cases ruining entire floors of your home."

Aviva warned earlier this month that homeowners should properly assess their properties before the cold weather sets in.

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