Don't let heating emergencies be a winter drain

Heating failure is again set to be the most common home emergency this winter, according to esure home insurance, after analysis of its calls from the last five winters reveals that 30 per cent of all households who call about a home emergency do so because of problems with their main central heating system.

The in-house analysis also reveals that over a quarter (28 per cent) of households who have Home Emergency cover make an emergency call for plumbing and/or drainage problems, making this the second most common home emergency, closely followed by roof damage (11 per cent).

With parts of the UK having already experienced snowfall and more cold spells predicted - boosting the likelihood of having a home emergency - and with call out charges ranging from £44-£70, any emergency can lead to large unexpected bills and much inconvenience. To protect homeowners, esure is advising them to bolt home emergency cover onto their home insurance to provide immediate professional help in an emergency.

esure's Home Emergency policy provides cover should a home emergency occur following problems with roof damage, plumbing and drainage, the main heating system, the domestic power supply, the toilet, home security or lost keys.

Adding Home Emergency cover to an esure home insurance policy costs just £3.75 a month (including Insurance Premium Tax), and pays up to £500 (including VAT) per claim for the call out charge, up to 2 hours labour costs and up to a maximum of £100 (including VAT) for parts and materials. Cover starts as soon as the policy is taken out.

To minimize the risks of a home emergency this winter, esure is advising households to take the following simple steps:

1. Avoid frozen pipes: leave the central heating system on for short periods of time throughout the day; open your loft hatch to allow air from the main house to enter into the roof space and warm pipe work; open doors to sink units to allow warmer air to circulate around the pipes; and make sure that all outside taps are firmly in the 'off' position during the winter plus consider fitting a jacket around them.

2. Be prepared if your pipes freeze or burst: use only gentle heat, like hot water bottles or towels soaked in warm water, if trying to thaw frozen pipes. Also, make sure you know where your stopcock and keep any tools you may need to shut off the water, in case you have a burst pipe.

3. Give your heating a regular MOT: invest money in annually servicing your boiler and heating system to avoid the inconvenience of dealing with the failure of the system at a time when it's needed the most.

4. Check your roof for signs of weakness: spend time checking and replacing broken roof tiles as they are susceptible to causing damage in winter storms.

5. Maintain the exterior of your home: clear gutters, drains and air bricks of leaves and blockages.

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure home insurance, said: "Winter is the worst time for a home emergency. If your heating or plumbing does fail, it can be miserable and expensive get professional help at short notice. Having Home Emergency cover guarantees a reputable tradesmen to fix the problem swiftly - even late at night or at weekends.

"With the onset of colder winter weather, this is the time for homeowners to put preventive measures in place early to help avoid potential disasters."