Preparing for winter

It is always a hard one to predict, the great British weather! We all know it too well but being prepared for the worst will benefit your organisation, charity, social enterprise, volunteers and the community regardless of the outcome.

Recently we have had several storms cross our paths, already causing damage and repercussions. Preparing for storms is an important element of the winter months but this is not the only aspect to consider. Ensuring you are taking precautions or avoiding driving in icy conditions and addressing a frozen water pipe as soon as discovered is also extremely important in the coming months.

Below we have looked at some easy tips to help your organisation, volunteers and customer stay one step ahead to avoid the extra worry this winter.

Property Advice

Preparing for the worst:

• Ensure that a professional plumber assesses plumbing joints within the property for leaks. (Top tip – Green discolouration on copper pipes can be a sign of a leak).
• Consider reviewing your insulation to allow the adequate protection from freezing pipes.
• Carry out risk assessments within your charity or social enterprise to assess snow, ice and flood hazards. If appropriate include the possibility of falling snow from a sloping roof, falling icicles or excessive weight due to snow causing a roof collapse.
• Review materials and equipment to determine if they are affected at all by low temperatures.
• Following health and safety, review roofs, guttering and drainage to ensure they are in adequate working order and free from blockages.
• Review any current risk assessments that could be affected by precautionary measures, such as fire risk assessments that do not account for additional or increased heating within the building. Speaking to your insurance intermediary is also advised to ensure this is covered under your policy.
• Consider slip related warnings and safety measures. Create diversions around slippery areas and asses entrance ways with hard flooring that could cause a slipping hazard during wet and snowy weather.
• Review outdoor lighting to ensure the exterior is well lit and allows visitors, volunteers and the community to see icy or slippery areas.  
• Allow time to look over your insurance details and ensure your cover is not due to renew or excludes certain cover that could cause issues if a storm or weather related damage was to occur. More information around our products can be found on the below link: https://ladbrook.co.uk/products/charity-public-liability-insurance/

Vacant property Advice:

• If the property is being left for a period, it is important not to turn the heating system off all together. This can cause any existing water within pipes to freeze and cause damages. Instead lower the temperature to 15°C, alternatively drain the plumbing completely. Always seek professional advice before carrying out tasks to this magnitude.
• Where possible ask a charity member or voluntary member to monitor the property and contact the relevant person or emergency services if an issue was to occur.
• Check insulation within the property, ensuring water tanks within the loft are insulated, spaces with no heating element or building with open sides.
• In areas such as lofts and where accessible under flooring, assess pipes to allow for adequate and high-quality lagging.

Frozen Pipes

• Knowing the signs of a potential frozen pipe is key. No water from the tap is the number one tell-tale sign, in addition to this frost or ice forming on the outer of the pipe or if the pipe seems to be swelling.
• Acting fast once a frozen pipe is detected could avoid a disaster. First things first, turn of the stopcock, remove items from the area that could be damaged if the pipe was to burst (where safe and practical), lastly turn on the tap closest to the effected area and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or hot water bottle. Within the last step ensure you start from the section closest to the tap and work away to reduce risk of additional pressure.
• If a pipe does unfortunately reach the stage of a burst or damage is noticed after thawing, follow the correct steps afterwards. Firstly, turn off the stopcock and open taps within linking areas to drain the system effected, next switch off the heating to stop additional water pumping through the system. Lastly contact your plumber immediately to allow the issue to be resolved swiftly.
• Following the unfortunate event of a burst or damaged pipe causing an escape of water, where possible allow the affected areas to air out by opening windows and doors to the property.

We hope this helps you be prepared and keep safe this winter. Our vehicle advice will follow next week, don’t miss it!