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Make Sure Your Business Is Prepared For Winter Weather
We know the Christmas period is a busy one for most businesses, and it’s understandable that you’ll want to have a break between Christmas and the new year. But January is a good time to get on top of things – and an appropriate time to do all those checks and jobs you’ve been putting off for ages.
One area where you could be losing money is with your water supply. If you have a leak, it could be costing your firm hundreds of pounds a year in lost water, and there are other potential problems that rear their head in the winter.
WaterSafe, which is the UK body for approved plumbers, has offered some advice on how to ensure a property is winter ready.
The weather is notoriously changeable in this country, which is why you need to be just as prepared for cold spells as you are for warm, damp conditions. But it’s the severely cold weather that can wreak havoc with your water supply.
Frozen and burst water pipes are one of the most frustrating problems to deal with, with the organisation citing data from the Association of British Insurers revealing that the bill to repair a burst water pipe can reach £7,500.
Not exactly the kind of bill you want to get landed with at the start of the new year – not to mention having to sort out any damage to your premises, stock or other equipment.
There is a very simple way to prevent this kind of problem – making sure that all of your water pipes in unheated areas and outside are insulated with lagging. If you’re not sure where the stop tap for your business premises is, make sure you find out just in case you need to turn the water off in a hurry.
Another thing to sort out is any dripping taps. Aside from the volume of water you waste – an estimated 5,500 litres in a year – a leak like this can lead to frozen taps, creating problems once you’re back from the Christmas break.
If you’re not sure whether you have a water leak somewhere, even if you think it’s only minor, it’s better to call in professionals who can carry out water leak detection to help you find and fix the problem quickly and before it causes too much damage.
The Met Office has also issued advice on how to make sure your property is ready for winter weather. While it’s primarily aimed at homeowners, much of it holds true for those with business premises too.
Making sure you have the correct and comprehensive buildings insurance is a no-brainer. This means that, should something go wrong, you will at least have the financial support to put things right and get back on track.
If you’re the sole occupant of your building, it’s your responsibility to check the condition of the roof, as well as to make sure that the gutters are cleaned out regularly. Keeping on top of these basic maintenance tasks can make all the difference if the UK experiences adverse weather conditions.