We are now on the brink of winter, so the coldest and darkest nights are well and truly on their way. Unfortunately, preparing your property for winter is something that many property owners seem to forget. However, if you want to stay away from those pesky winter business claims, this guide will be the one for you.
Avoiding Damage From Ice
An ice dam can cause a lot of damage if they are not cleared straight away. They are formed due to the difference in temperatures between outside and indoors. Heat rises, which means that some heat will escape the roof. Snow will then fall down the roof and get trapped at the end, which is still cold. The melted snow will refreeze and begin to form a dam. These can leak into your property, damaging your ceiling, walls, insulation, and flooring.
How To Prevent Ice Dams?
The best way to stop the damage of ice dams is by preventing them from happening. The way to do this is by clearing any build-up of snow that happens and, make sure that it is cleared before it begins to melt. Additionally, dry fluffy snow can mix with sleet or rain, which then hardens. It is why you should clear it off as soon as possible.
How To Remove Ice Dams?
The best way to clear ice dams is by using calcium chloride. An easy way to go about this is by filling nylons with calcium chloride ice melter. This will slowly melt the snow and create a small channel for water to escape. Make sure that you only use calcium chloride and avoid using rock salt or sodium chloride, as this will cause further damage.
Frozen Pipes
When the temperature lowers during the winter months, your water pipes can freeze. They can expand and burst when frozen, leading to a nasty water damage claim. However, you can do a couple of things to avoid frozen pipes during the colder months.
Insulation is one way that you can avoid frozen pipes. Additionally, it is easy to apply and can be done by yourself. Not to mention that it is affordable as well. If you experience burst water pipes, insurance companies will usually cover them. However, you want to avoid this at all costs as it is a massive inconvenience.
Avoid Roof Damage
If there is anything that will get damaged during the winter months, it would be the roof. You must monitor the condition of your roof during the winter months as the roof will take a beating throughout winter. Additionally, snow is heavy, so the build-up can cause the roof to collapse.
Ensure that you don’t neglect your gutters either, as these can also get blocked during winter. Look out for any algae to reduce the chances of any blockages with snow. Choose a specialist cleaning service capable of giving your property a thorough clean, as they will make sure that everything is clean and reduce the chances of blockages.
Winter Fires
Central heating is one of the leading causes of property fires, especially during winter. Furthermore, inspect the existing heating systems in place before winter comes. Another thing that you will want to make sure of is that your chimney gets a thorough clean before you put it on. Unfortunately, there are not many buildings with a fully functioning chimney these days.
Nonetheless, if your property has a chimney, make sure a specialist cleans it before it gets too cold. Likewise, if you are putting up any lights, whether that is on the Christmas tree or lights for decoration, you will want to make sure that they are not damaged.
Don’t Forget Health and Safety
The last thing you want at a workplace or home is a slippery footpath. The cold weather can form ice on the floor. Making it highly dangerous whenever it is walked across. Place salt along the floor to create a safe path for your family or employees. With it being in a working environment, it is your job to make sure that the snow is cleared as well as the ice. Ensuring that it is safe to walk in and out of the building.
To Conclude
You will need to look out for many things if you are a property owner. Winter is a much more stressful time than the warmer months if you own property. As long as you prepare early on, your property will be safe and ready for those cold, wintery nights.
Join the British Landlords Association, its the fastest growing national landlords association in the UK
Author: Harry Turner
Our Top read blogs:
Landlord EICR Electrical Safety inspection report 2021 Guide
Purple Bricks – Should i use PurpleBricks?
