Let the chimney see the Sweep!

With Winter around the corner, are you ready for what’s in store?

Winter can be the most testing time, especially on your household, with increased costs and extreme weather it’s important to make sure that you, and your home, are prepared.

It’s important not to fall into the misconception that insurance is a maintenance contract.  Whilst insurance is designed to protect you, if you don’t take measures to look after your home then your insurance policy may not respond as you hoped when you need it.

Simple tips to prepare include:

  • Sweep the chimney – it will hopefully cost you under £50 (and a cup of tea), but you can reduce the risk of calling on the fire brigade at an unearthly hour.  This is also a requirement of many insurance policies.
  • Servicing your boiler – nobody wants to be cold and calling on sought after plumbers when they can be most busy.  A simple service when it’s convenient to you is far more handy and you can make sure that the boiler is running efficiently, saving you money in the long run.
  • Check your energy provider – it’s a good time to check that you are getting the best deal, check the packages on offer and make sure your hard earned money is being used cost effectively.
  • Check your nooks and crannies – sealing draughts, using draught excluders, knowing where your stopcock is, checking gutters, lagging pipes and fixing drippy taps.  These can all make a huge difference over the winter with little effort.

If you do the smaller things to look after your home, you can leave your insurance to look after you when you need it.