Trustmark urges homeowners to get their home fit before the arctic winter arrives. With winter fast approaching and long range forecasts warning of bitter Arctic gales and relentless heavy snow, TrustMark, the only standards for tradesmen endorsed by Government, is now urging homeowners to protect and prepare their homes now as extreme cold can put a big strain on their homes.
“Many winter-related disasters can be prevented if people plan ahead now to protect their homes from freezing temperatures”, says Stuart Carter, Head of Marketing at TrustMark. “With heavy snow forecast until May 2014, we want homeowners to be prepared in case the worst does happen enabling them to fix any problems as soon as possible, either by doing the work themselves if you have the right skills or by calling in a qualified and inspected tradesman from a reputable ‘find a trader’ scheme such as TrustMark. With more than 21,000 licensed trades on our database, people can feel confident that by employing a TrustMark registered tradesman, the quality of work will remain high at all times and that a professional standard will be met.”
By taking some precautions before the severe winter weather kicks in and dealing with problems at an early stage can often ward off the need for more extensive and expensive repairs later on. This has been evident by the number of tradesmen viewings’ on the TrustMark website during October, which saw an increase of 36% across all its trades compared to the same month in 2012. Roofers (32%), heating engineers and plumbers (35%), electricians (20%), fence installers (14%) and window installers and glaziers (11%) all saw the biggest rise last month (October 2013) as poor weather conditions have already set in.
Below is a list of spot checks TrustMark recommends homeowners carry out to help reduce the likelihood of winter rains, wind and cold causing structural damage to their homes:
*Clean out the gutters, ensure any outlets are clear of leaves and debris and check for any leaks or damage.
*Cast your eye over the roof from ground level to look for problem signs such as loose or missing tiles and watch for any early signs of leaks or condensation on the ceilings.
*Look out for cracked, loose or missing pointing or rendering on exterior walls and have this fixed before water finds it way in.
*Get your boiler and/or central heating serviced or inspected by a Gas Safe registered engineer. A well-maintained boiler will burn less fuel so having your boiler checked and your heating system serviced will save money and, most importantly, it could potentially avoid a terrible tragedy.
*Get your insulation up to scratch - lag pipes and water tanks, fit draught excluders and insulate your loft properly.
*Make sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are in full working order.
*Bed down the garden for winter by clearing away fallen leaves and other debris, especially from lawns, ponds and beds, and trim trees or remove dead branches – ice, snow and wind could cause weak trees or branches to break and cause damage.
*Keep a list of useful numbers handy in case of emergency - include your plumber, gas installer, roofer and electrician.
Stuart adds: “However hard we try to protect our homes, many of us will still require a good tradesman. There is only one UK wide website which lists licensed firms, which have received on-site inspections to look at their quality of work by experienced independent inspectors. And that is Trustmark, who are a not-for-profit social enterprise and operate to Government-endorsed standards.”To find your nearest TrustMark registered tradesman, please visit trustmark.org.uk