{"id":33630,"date":"2026-02-03T15:26:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T15:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/2026\/02\/03\/keep-your-home-safe-this-winter\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T11:08:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T11:08:19","slug":"keep-your-home-safe-this-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/2026\/02\/03\/keep-your-home-safe-this-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep your home safe this\u00a0winter"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Check your home is protected against bad weather, such as freezing temperatures, high winds and heavy downpours <\/td>Insurers paid out \u00a3585m for weather-related damage to homes and possessions in 2024, so check you\u2019re adequately covered  <\/td>Make sure your boiler is serviced annually, identify fire hazards in your home and test smoke alarms. <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Frozen pipes. Blocked gutters. Damp rooms. The winter months can take their toll on your home \u2013 and your health. Here are some top tips to keep you and your property safe.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Weather the storm<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Make sure your home is protected against bad weather, such as freezing temperatures, high winds and heavy downpours. Watch out for a build-up of debris in gutters and drains, insulate any outdoor taps and pipes, and safely store garden items. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Insurers paid out a record \u00a3585m for weather-related damage to people\u2019s homes and possessions in 20241<\/sup>, so check you have adequate cover. Fences and gates are not always covered for storm damage, so make sure they are secured. Be prepared for floods and power cuts. You can report a power outage by calling 105 and sign up to flood alerts online. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Feel the heat<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Boiler breakdowns are often excluded from standard home insurance policies, so it\u2019s important to keep them well maintained with an annual service. If you\u2019re concerned your boiler might not make it through the winter, then home emergency cover could provide added protection. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Try to heat your home to at least 18\u00b0C \u2013 especially if you are 65-plus or have a chronic health condition or reduced mobility. A warm, ventilated home can also help to prevent condensation and damp building up during winter months. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Don\u2019t play with fire<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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A log burner or open fire can add a touch of magic to a cold dark night but remember to get your chimney swept once a year to prevent any blockages. If you use portable heaters or candles, keep them away from soft furnishings. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Take a moment to test your fire, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to ensure they\u2019re working properly. You could also complete an online home fire safety check to identify any hazards in your home \u2013 see your local fire brigade\u2019s website for more details. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Make sure your home is properly insured<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Winter can bring unexpected damage, having the right level of cover can save you from costly surprises. Adequate home insurance not only provides financial security but also peace of mind, so you can focus on staying warm and well, knowing your home is protected whatever the weather. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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1<\/sup>ABI, 2025 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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As a mortgage is secured against your home or property, it could be repossessed if you do not keep up mortgage repayments. Financial protection policies typically have no cash in value at any time and cover will cease at the end of the term. If premiums stop, then cover will lapse.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Check your home is protected against bad weather, such as freezing temperatures, high winds and heavy downpours  Insurers paid out \u00a3585m for weather-related damage to homes and possessions in 2024, so check you\u2019re adequately covered   Make sure your boiler is serviced annually, identify fire hazards in your home and test smoke alarms.  Frozen pipes. Blocked gutters. Damp rooms. The winter months can take their toll on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":33684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[32,91],"tags":[],"hd_content_source":[116],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33630"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33630"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33630\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33685,"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33630\/revisions\/33685"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33630"},{"taxonomy":"hd_content_source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.contentdeployment.co.uk\/tomd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hd_content_source?post=33630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}