We know that your home and belongings are important to you. By taking a few simple measures you can help to protect against the unimaginable.
Why not take some time and read our hints and tips below to help protect your home.
General maintenance
You should make sure your home is well maintained all year round, however this is particularly important during the cold, wet and windy winter months. Here are a few pointers for both inside and outside your home to make sure your home is ready for the bad weather.
Inside
- Make sure your central heating, boiler and gas fires are in good working order. Call an expert in to check them
- Keep your heating on to stop pipes from freezing – even on low when you’re not at home
- Check your loft is properly insulated
- If you have a chimney, get this swept regularly
Outside
- Check the roof for loose tiles
- Make sure any fencing is able to withstand high winds
- Make sure your guttering is free of any blockages and is fixed to the house securely
- Turn off outside taps and drain any water to avoid them freezing
Flood
If you are aware that you may be liable to flooding here are a few tips for how to increase your flood protection and reduce the risk of damage to your home.
- Keep a stock of sandbags ready
- Cover doors and windows with something solid, such as wood
- Cellars and basements are particularly prone to damage during a flood so make sure you don’t keep anything which is valuable to you down there
- If you are aware of a flood being forecast move as much as you can upstairs
- Turn off as many electrical items as you can to reduce the risk of shock or fire
- Don’t forget your pets
Keeping your home safe
Your doors – make sure your home is safe and secure by fitting a good quality lock such as a deadlock or a 5-lever mortice lock.
A spy-hole and a door chain are also recommended for additional security. It is also worth mentioning that keys should be removed from locks and kept out of sight.
Hide valuables, including keys – keep valuables out of sight as burglars will take a look in through your windows to see if they think there your house is worth breaking into. Blinds are a great way to help with this.
In the garden – if you add up the value of items in your shed or garage they will probably be worth more than you expected. Make sure you have suitable padlocks on the door.
Outside protection – install a burglar alarm from a well known supplier if possible. Burglars are quickly becoming experts at overriding cheaper ones.
If you have a side gate to your property try and bolt it from the inside if this is practical.
Keep quiet – don’t broadcast the fact you are going away for a few days on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. This is as good as putting an advert in your window!