One of the coldest winters in recent memory could be about to hit Britain. According to Metcheck.com, the first cold snap is on its way and regular chilly fronts are expected across the country until Christmas. Further prolonged bitter spells are expected in the New Year.

Statistics from Abbey show that over the winter months, around a third of home insurance claims relate to the effects of bad or cold weather. This includes storm damage, falling trees, floods and burst pipes. It’s no coincidence, therefore, that the busiest time of the year for claims is winter.

While your insurance company may well pay out for the cost of damage caused by wintry weather, your premium could go up as a result of claiming. And there’s nothing worse than living in a freezing cold house with no hot water while you wait for the problem to be fixed. All this can be avoided by preparing a home for wintry weather.

Key things to check are:

• Make sure you know where the water mains valve and header tank are and that you can turn them on and off.
• Check that any pipes or tanks in lofts and any unheated areas are properly insulated.
• Keep central heating on at a low temperature if you are going to be away from home overnight or for a few days.
• If you think your pipes are frozen, turn off the water at the mains valve and the header tank to cut down the amount of water that could escape if a pipe bursts.
• Thaw a frozen pipe gently, with a low steady heat such as a hot water bottle or hair-dryer and not a naked flame.
• Save something ready to catch water in case the pipe bursts.
• Keep the telephone number of a plumber readily available in case of emergencies.
• Check that your buildings and contents insurance covers not just the pipes, but also any damage to furniture or flooring caused by burst water pipes.

• Switch off the central heating to reduce water flow.
• Open all taps to drain the system.
• Collect all water in containers.
• Turn electricity off at the mains if sockets or appliances have been affected.