This winter may have been fairly mild so far, but the worst of the cold usually hits in January and February, so homeowners could potentially save themselves a lot of money and hassle by preparing ahead of time. As well as mitigating the impact of boiler breakdowns and burst pipes, putting in a bit of groundwork ahead of a cold snap means it’s less likely you will need to make a home insurance claim from providers like Castle Cover, saving you even more money in lower premiums.

Some modern boilers have frost protection settings, which automatically turn on to heat the pipes when temperatures fall to a level that could cause them to freeze. Even if you have this feature, it’s always a good idea to insulate your pipes with preformed insulation. Dripping taps should also be fixed as soon as possible as if they freeze, the pipe will quickly become blocked.

If you’re going away from your house this winter for more than 45 days, you should let your home insurance provider know – otherwise there is a chance they may not pay out if something goes wrong while you are away. Leaving boilers on a timer while you’re away can help to prevent pipes from freezing.