As Winter approaches, it is important to make sure you’re prepared for whatever the British weather will throw at you: Wind, rain, snow, ice and even maybe some sunshine!

To prevent accidents that could cause damage to your home or business, here are some of the things you should do to prepare for the winter weather:

• Roof: Check your roof for broken, loose or missing tiles. Also check our garage, shed and other outbuildings too.
• Gutters:  Keep your gutters, gullies, drains and drainpipes are clear of leaves, moss and other debris that could stop water from flowing easily down them.
• Taps: It’s important to get leaky taps, showers and toilets fixed by a plumber, as even small trickles of water can lead to water damage or frozen pipes. Keep external taps and pipes insulated.
• Pipes: Check your pipes for any signs of splits, drips, rust or oxidisation that could cause   leaks. Run taps to make sure the water runs freely. Insulate your pipes and tanks, including garages and outbuildings to prevent them from freezing.
• Stop tap (also known as an isolation valve or stopcock): Do you know where your internal stop tap is located?  It’s the quickest way to stop a water leak. Test it by turning it on and off several times, as stop taps can also seize up – something you don’t want to experience in an emergency and you need to turn the water off.
• Leak detector: Leak detectors monitor your usual water use and can turn off the water if they detect a leak. Alternatively, you can use your water meter to check for leaks.
• Insulate windows: Fit weather strips or insulation foam to your windows. It’ll keep the heat in and stop the cold from getting in.
• Doors: Use draught excluders around doors to help keep your home warm and reduce energy bills.
• Paths: Clear your paths of snow or ice using sand, grit or salt.

Although some of these tasks can be undertaken by a competent DIYer, we would always recommend you bring in an expert tradesperson to carry out any repairs to ensure they are carried to a high standard and the work is undertaken by a registered trade guarantee.