Whether your business continues to operate from its premises, or your premises are now unoccupied, it is important to weatherproof your business property as we enter a period of meteorological uncertainty. With winter fast approaching, the likelihood of storms, wind, water damage and big freezes increases the risk of damage to your property.
Is your property winter-ready?
To help you weatherproof your business premises, we have outlined some useful tips below:
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Inspect your property
Inspect your property to ensure the structure and fabric of the building is in good condition and free of problems such as holes or cracks. Be sure to also check the exterior of your property when it is raining for leaks in guttering or any blockages.
Following a storm, it is good practice to check that no parts of your roof have been damaged or dislodged and check your guttering and drains to ensure there are no blockages or accumulation of water.
Generally, it is important to read your insurance policy wording to find out what maintenance you need to carry out, so your insurance remains valid.
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Flooding
Begin your preparation by consulting your area’s flood risk map. The Environment Agency (EA) publishes a map for England which can be accessed by clicking here. To check for flood information for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, please click here and select the appropriate region.
Once you have assessed your risk, prepare your business premises accordingly. If you have stock remaining in your property, keep it on a high level and fit a flood alarm in vulnerable areas.
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Plumbing
Firstly, shut off water in any areas of the building where it is not needed to help prevent interior water damage. Drain domestic plumbing water pipes and add anti-freeze to any areas where water might remain, where necessary.
It is common practice to ensure your building maintains a minimum temperature of 4˚C. For areas protected by a wet pipe sprinkler system, adequate heat should be maintained to prevent the sprinkler pipes freezing.
We are here to support you
It is vital to have the appropriate level of insurance cover in place to protect your business against damage to its Buildings, Contents and Stock, Business Interruption and Loss of Earnings this winter.
We can undertake a thorough insurance review to ensure you have the appropriate level of cover, including any change in activities as a result of COVID-19. We understand that this is a cost-sensitive period for many businesses and therefore, we will endeavour to identify any areas where costs can be mitigated.
Please click here to request a review of your existing insurance programme or get in touch with our expert team.
