Cold weather warning
Shropshire householders and business owners are being warned that burst pipes could be a bigger threat than burglary over the Christmas holidays.
With businesses closing for the festive break, and with an estimated 35 per cent of people going away for a few days over Christmas, the predicted cold snap could cause real problems across the county.
Tony Conlon, of Henshalls Insurance Brokers, in Newport and Shrewsbury, said: "Statistics show that in December and January last year, more people claimed for incidents involving burst pipes than for either fire or theft.
"And the irony is, that while nearly two thirds of us worry that our homes or businesses may be burgled while we're away, and nearly a quarter fear their property will be destroyed by fire, only eight percent of people said they were concerned that burst pipes may be a problem.
"Given that the Met Office is predicting a particularly cold spell over the next couple of weeks, it's vital that families and businesses are prepared."
Tony said research by AXA Home Insurance showed the big freeze in January last year led to around one in every 1000 homes claiming for water damage from a burst pipe - and the average claim was around £15,000.
"Many people don't even think about the importance of protecting their water systems from freezing conditions, but taking the most basic of precautions such as leaving the heating on, could make all the difference.
"Not only does burst pipe damage have a financial cost, especially if there is no insurance in place, but it can also cause huge emotional trauma from ruined personal belongings. Even if you have insurance in place to cover the cost of the damage, losing items of sentimental value can be devastating.
"With temperatures set to plummet, think carefully about how your property may be affected if it's left unattended - keep your heating system on low, but turn the main stopcock off, as this will prevent any water trapped in the system from freezing and bursting the pipes when temperatures rise.
"Make sure pipes and the loft are insulated, and ask someone to keep an eye on your home while you're away, or if you're a business, make sure your security team monitors the premises.
"Last year's sharp drop in temperatures at the turn of the year was probably an indication of what's to come in future, so take steps now to make sure you don't face a miserable New Year."
