Prepare your home for a battering

The Met Office has warned two week's worth of rain (up to 50mm) is set to fall over the UK in the next 24 hours, with the South West, Wales and the North East of the country bearing the brunt of the bad weather. Localised flooding is also expected in some areas, particularly in Wales and South West regions.

Senior Claims Manager for Halifax Home Insurance, Martyn Foulds, said: "With the cost of storm damage claims often running into thousands, it certainly makes sense for homeowners to take whatever preventative steps they can at this stage to reduce the risk of damage to their homes."

Before storms strike:

Secure any objects which could become hazardous such as garden furniture, barbecues and bicycles, and keep gates and outbuilding doors fastened securely.

Cut back low hanging branches that could cause damage in storms.

Clear the gutters and drain pipes of any leaves or debris that have built up in them to reduce the risk of blocks and overflows.

Check external light fittings are secure.

Keep a home emergency kit prepared in case of emergency such as a severe storm or flood. This could include torches, spare bulbs and batteries, a battery powered or wind-up radio, your home insurance documents and other emergency contact details.

If your home is at risk of flooding:

Place sandbags outside doors, airbricks and windows to reduce the amount of flood water entering your property.

Turn off the mains supplies of water, gas and electricity.

Unplug electrical items and store upstairs or as high as possible.

Disconnect pipes to cookers, washing machines and dishwashers to avoid damage to the pipes if appliances move during floods.

Move as much furniture as possible upstairs.

Large items that cannot be moved upstairs should be weighed down with sandbags or heavy objects to ensure they don't float around and cause further damage to property during a severe flood.
If furniture cannot be moved upstairs, empty contents of cupboards and drawers and store as high as possible.

Move rugs and curtains upstairs, or hang them up over curtain rods out of the way of water.

Keep your home insurer's policy details and telephone number to hand in case you need to make a claim following a flood.

Remember to move sentimental items such as photograph albums to a safe place as these cannot be replaced.

If your home has been flooded:

Ensure mains supplies of water, electricity and gas have been checked by a qualified engineer before reconnecting.

Dry out appliances that have been affected by flood water and ensure a qualified electrician or CORGI registered gas engineer inspects them before use.

Open doors and windows to ventilate and dry out the property. Ensure your home is completely dried out before attempting any redecorating work.

Contact your insurer and report any damage caused to buildings and/or contents as soon as possible.

Take photographs of damaged items as it may help your insurer to settle a claim.

Keep any ruined property as insurers may want to inspect it.

Martyn continued: "Increasing incidents of extreme weather conditions, such as wind and flood, make it more vital than ever for homeowners to take regular preventative steps to protect their property before disaster strikes."

Following storms, Halifax Home Insurance recommends homeowners check the condition of their roofs and call in a qualified roofer to carry out any necessary repair work if any tiles are loose or missing. Keeping the home in a good state of repair is a condition of most home insurance policies and can go a long way to protecting the home from further damage.

Regular home maintenance:

Check the condition of the roof at least once a year and particularly following stormy weather. Look for cracked or broken tiles, cracks in the chimney or problems with the pointing. If any repairs are needed, hire a professional roofing contractor to carry out the work as soon as possible.

Have your boiler serviced at least once a year by a CORGI registered gas professional and have the central heating and gas fires checked to ensure they are working safely and efficiently.

Check that the loft is insulated properly but also has adequate ventilation.

Thicker curtains will help to keep more heat in the home.

Keep the central heating set to at least 10 degrees to prevent pipes from freezing.

While most home insurance policies cover many eventualities, there are certain emergencies that require something extra. Halifax offers its customers a 24 hour helpline, manned by fully trained colleagues, who can offer useful advice on how to manage a home emergency. Halifax's Home Emergency Cover provides a 24/7 helpline which, for around £4 extra a month, guarantees the provision of an approved tradesperson to make your property safe within hours.

Homeowners wanting to find out if they are at risk of flooding can call the Environment Agency Floodline on 0845 988 1188.