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08th February 2012

The Big Chill has arrived

Nightime temperatures are now falling below freezing point and snow if forecast, so with this in mind, it is vital for landlords to ensure their properties are properly weatherproofed and ready to take on the elements.

Property letting and management specialist, Martin & Co, provides some useful tips on how to prepare your home for the cold and wet month ahead, and some of the warning signs to look out for:

• Make sure you properly insulate your property, from lofts to cavity fillings to exclude draft, prevent heat lost and conserve energy. This should include draft- proofing all windows, doors and letterboxes.

• Check your pipes are insulated to protect from frost and to prevent heat loss.  Instruct your tenants that room temperatures should not fall below 10 degrees C. during freezing weather.  A good tip is to leave the loft hatch open to help prevent water pipes in the roof space from icing.  Ensure tenants know where the stop cock is to isolate water in the event of burst pipes.

• Check your roof for missing tiles, and make sure the flashings to the chimney and around any skylight windows also look intact.

 
• Unblock your drains and clear your guttering of any leaves, moss and vegetation.

• You should have your boiler serviced once every year. When you have this done, it is a good idea to also consider having a powerflush undertaken as this will revitalise the system and increase the longevity of operation. It will allow the system to reach temperature far more quickly, thereby reducing fuel costs and putting less strain on the boiler.

• Make sure all windowsills and door frames are properly coated and protected, with no rotting wood. Get any painting completed as soon as possible,