How to Reduce the Damage of Escaping Water
Beth Owen from NFU Mutual offers tips on how to protect your home from water damage and what to do in an emergency
Damage from a water leak is one of the most common reasons for home insurance claims, and it can be expensive and time consuming to put right, often requiring homeowners to move into alternative accommodation for weeks, or even months.
Beth Owen from NFU Mutual talks about how to protect your home from water damage and what to do in an emergency:
Make sure you and your family know where the stopcock is to cut off the water supply.
Check for leaks and signs of corrosion around the home on radiators and plumbing.
Consider using a pipe detector before drilling into your walls to avoid hitting a pipe.
Protect your pipes from freezing by insulating exposed pipes, and ensuring your thermostat maintains a minimum of 10°C to keep warm water circulating.
Check what your home insurance offers for alternative accommodation, home emergency, and trace and access services (to find the source of the leak), and that these meet you and your family’s needs.
And, if you do discover a water leak, follow these steps to act quickly:
Turn off the water supply to prevent more water from flowing into the pipes and causing further damage.
Once the water is off, turn on all the cold taps to drain excess water from the system.
Turn off any immersion heater and central heating system to prevent heating the system whilst it’s empty, as this could cause damage.
If in doubt if water has leaked onto any electrics, turn off the electricity supply immediately at the fuse box. Be cautious, wet electrical wiring or sockets can be dangerous so do not touch them.
Check for water damage – in particular ceilings bulging caused by water pooling above. Stay clear of any ceilings which are bulging significantly, in case they collapse.
Consult a professional – whether that’s through your insurance provider or privately, and ensure you consult a plumber and electrician before the water and electricity are turned back on.
NFU Mutual Bespoke understands the complexities of high value homes, and comes with home emergency, alternative accommodation, and trace and access as standard.
To find out more about our tailored cover for high-value homes and contents, contact Beth Owen at NFU Mutual in Chester on 01829 771133 or email Beth_Owen@nfumutual.co.uk
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