A prepared home is a protected home

From burst geysers to fire hazards, winter puts your home at increased risk of damage and loss. That’s why preventative maintenance is critical. This is not only for your safety but for the assurance that claims will be paid, should anything go wrong. We offer 10 expert ways to ensure that your home is prepared and protected for the cold months ahead:

1. Check your insurance policy – this includes both your home contents and buildings insurance. Make sure that your are covered for risks like burst pipes and geysers, and fire and storm damage. (Remember that geysers must be specified under a buildings insurance policy.) With ongoing load-shedding, it’s also imperative to have power surge cover to protect your electronics and appliances.

2. Conduct a roof inspection – this one is critical. A badly-maintained roof can compromise a claim payout. If you are unable to get onto the roof yourself, call in a roof expert to check for damaged, loss or missing tiles, and get these fixed or replaced immediately.

3. Clean your gutters – continued falling leaves and other debris can easily clog gutters. Check and clean the gutters every week to ensure a free flow of water. This will help prevent a build up of water and debris, which can lead to roof damage and compromise the building’s foundation.

4. Geyser care is critical – geysers are more prone to bursting or leaking in winter so it’s wise to get these checked by a qualified plumber. Among other things, he will ensure that the thermostat is set to the correct temperature as a poorly regulated geyser can lead to bursting. Consider investing in a geyser blanket and timer. These can help prevent extreme temperature fluctuations that can also lead to bursting. Watch out for early warning signs of a faulty geyser, like cooler water, decreased pressure, strange noises and wet spots on the ceiling. Immediately call a plumber if this is the case. If your geyser does burst, act fast. Switch off the electricity and water mains, and contact your plumber and insurer immediately.

5. Prevent burst pipes – ensure that pipes are properly insulated as these are prone to freezing and bursting in winter, specifically those in exposed areas like a garage or cellar.

6. Warm up safely – gas appliances, like heaters and stoves, pose a high risk so it is imperative to ensure that these are functioning perfectly. Other appliances like electric heaters and furnaces, as well as fireplaces should also be checked by relevant experts. Ensure that all heating appliances are properly switched off when you finish using them and that these are never placed near flammable objects like furniture or curtains.

7. Trim the trees – overhanging branches near your home can cause significant damage if they fall onto your roof. You may require the services of a tree feller to ensure that larger trees and branches are safely cut down, and don’t fall onto your home in the process.

8. Seal doors and windows – to keep your home warm and help save on your power bill, ensure that all windows and doors are properly sealed and insulated. Identify cracks in doors, windows and air vents and have these repaired. These measures not only help to keep your home warm but also prevent mould and moisture damage.

9. Secure outdoor furniture – we often experience strong, even gale-force winds, during winter. Ensure that your outdoor furniture is properly secured to avoid it from being pushed over, damaged and broken in strong winds.

10. Inspect the DB board – ensure that your DB board is fully functional to avoid shorts and explosions that may be caused by electrical overload. A qualified electrician will check that the main switch is turned on and that there are no tripped circuit breakers, especially those linked to heating appliances.

To protect the structure of your home and the valuables inside, make sure that you have sufficient buildings and home contents cover. If you don’t have this cover in place, then get a quote now. Click here for a buildings insurance quote and click here for a home contents quote.