Beware burst pipes this winter

11th November, 2011

As the cold weather season approaches and the weather men tell us that this winter will be the coldest for some time, insurers are doing their best to advise every one of the dangers of burst pipes.

Some of the major insurers said that claims increased by 60% last winter as a result of burst pipes and are asking everyone to make sure their property is properly protected against any sudden decrease in temperature which can cause the pipes to freeze and burst as a result. This can happen when the heating is turned off completely whilst the residents are away or even during the day time. It is far better to programme the heating system to come on at a low temperature during the day and night as a safety precaution.

The cost of last year’s cold weather to insurers across the UK was extremely high although not just as a result of burst pipes but damage to property due to the adverse weather in general.

A burst pipe can cause ceilings to come down and the cost of each claim on average is roughly £8,000. The pipes should be properly lagged and the correct insulation put in place, these three steps should stop any pipe bursting and reduce last year’s 103,000 claims for burst pipes.

 

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