Homeowners ‘Should Get Their Home Winter Ready’

Homeowners have been advised to make adjustments to their property to make sure their houses are prepared to face a harsh winter.

SunLife Direct has issued advice on how to make sure their home is protected during plummeting temperatures, after experts state it could be as cold as -20C over the next few months. This ranges from checking roofs to insulating pipes, while households could also install double glazing for their Stockport homes.

Director of insurance at SunLife Simon Staney said: “Weather forecasters have said that we could be in for one of the worst winters in 100 years.”

He added that cold, rain, wind and snow can do “serious damage” to properties, saying: “Although there is nothing we can do about the winter weather, there are steps we can take to make sure our homes are resistant to it.”

SunLife Direct suggested people check their roof regularly to see whether tiles are missing or broken, clean their chimney, and ascertain whether their lead flashings are properly sealed. They should also insulate their pipes to prevent them from freezing, keep their gutters and drains clear, and check their boiler.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for rain, snow, fog, ice and wind this winter, while Ladbrokes has slashed its odds of this being the coldest season on record from 7/2 to 4/1.

Despite this, the UK has experienced a relatively warm November, with a mean temperature of 8.2C over the month, which is 2C above typical November figures.

Last month was also the dullest November since records began in 1929, with just 36.6 hours of sunshine reported.