Insulate pipes 'to avoid home insurance claim'

Thursday, February 11th 2010

Homeowners who are planning to go away for even just a few days while the weather is cold should take measures to ensure their pipes do not freeze, according to Sainsbury's Finance.

Ben Tyte, home insurance manager at the supermarket bank, commented that with temperatures set to drop again in the coming weeks, the cold snap could see water damage due to burst pipes.

The average claim for this type of damage totals £2,218, meaning those without adequate home contents cover could be stuck with a large bill.

However, there are a number of ways to cut down the risk of getting stuck with an emergency post-Christmas cost in addition to taking out the right insurance.

Ensuring that warm water continues to circulate through the pipes, "even if it's just for a short period each day", will help prevent pipes from freezing, while leaving heat on a low setting and ensuring pipes - especially those located in cold spaces such as attics - are insulated.

Nick Kidd, head of home insurance at Axa, commented this week that leaving the heat on at a minimum temperature of 12 degrees C could help to prevent water damage during a spell of cold weather.