With the winter weather firmly upon us, it is vital to think about protecting your house over this cold spell. Not only so you increase your chances of being warm inside, but also because to the cold weather erosion can seriously damage your building over the years.

It is a good idea to be prepared, but don’t worry if you haven’t thought about anything yet. Follow DIY specialist B&Q’s simple tips, so that the only Jack Frost you have to worry about is the one that hits you once you step out of your home!

Avoiding frozen pipes

All pipes in lofts, under ground-level floors, in garages or any other areas where they will be exposed to very low temperatures should be lagged to protect them from freezing.

Lagging your hot-water cylinder is a worthwhile job and you can do this by fitting it with a jacket made from mineral-fibre insulation. If you are buying a new cylinder, choose one with foam insulation already fitted.

Lag cold water pipes in the loft and any exposed hot-water pipes running through unheated areas of the house with split foam tubes.

Insulate the cold-water cistern and the small feed-and-expansion tank (if you have one). The cistern can be wrapped in a purpose-made jacket or a glass-fibre blanket.

Don’t insulate the area underneath it – any heat rising from the room below will help to prevent the tank from freezing.

However, lagging will only delay the onset of freezing, and if temperatures are low enough for long enough, ice may still develop, stopping the flow of water to taps and other outlets. At worst, the ice may actually split the pipe or force apart a joint.

If you do plan to go away for a substantial amount of time during winter, you should take precautions. Set your heating thermostat at the lowest setting, or, if there is one, use the “frost setting” which will switch it on automatically if the temperature drops near to freezing point. Alternatively, turn off the main stop valve and drain the system completely.

If your pipes do freeze and you need to thaw them, warm them with a hair dryer, gradually working along the length from the tap or valve until the water starts to flow again. Alternatively, drape a hot water bottle over the pipe or soak hand towels in hot water, wring them out and wrap them around it.

Boiler breakdown

The last thing you need in the colder months of the year is a broken boiler. If your boiler does stop working then there are a number of things you can check to see where or what the problem is:

• First of all, check if the pilot light is extinguished. If it is, try to re-light it in accordance with the boiler manufacturer’s instructions. If the problem persists call an engineer.

• It may be that the temperature setting on the room thermostat or boiler thermostat is too low. Check and reset if necessary.

• The system timer/programmer may be incorrectly set or faulty. Check and reset the timer/programmer if necessary. If the problem persists call an engineer.

• Overheating caused by the pump shutting down may have caused the thermostat to shut down the boiler too. Confirm that the pump is running and restart the boiler. If the problem persists, call an engineer.

• There may be a problem with the electricity supply. Check some other electrical circuits and if there is a power cut, wait for power to be restored. If a fuse has blown, repair it.

• With combination boilers, it’s possible that the water pressure is at an incorrect level. Refer to the operating instructions for the correct figure and check the boiler pressure gauge; if it is too low, you may have to top up the system at the mains water filling point, otherwise call an engineer.

Flood prevention

More and more houses are prone to flooding as the frequency of severe wet weather appears to be increasing and because many homes have been built on river flood plains. Apart from keeping your flood insurance up-to-date, there are several practical measures you can take:

• Check for and fix any leaks in walls, floors, windows or foundations.

• Keep gutters and downpipes free of leaves and debris. If surface-water doesn’t drain freely, get a drainage specialist to check for blockages.

• Make sure that the outside ground surface slopes away from the house walls, and choose porous surfaces next to the house, that will allow rainwater to soak into the ground, rather than concrete.

• If you suffer from repeated flooding, your insurance company or drainage specialist will advise on installing a pump to redirect the water.

In the event of a flood, turn off gas and electricity supplies straight away. Keep sandbags or heavy boards to hand, to block doorways and airbricks. Keep the numbers for the emergency services and your insurance company in a safe accessible place, along with a torch.

If you need additional advice before you begin work, you can ask one of B&Q’s staff at your local store. Alternatively visit the B&Q website: www.diy.com where you can get further information on gardening, DIY projects and product information.