Keeping your buildings well-maintained this autumn

The last thing you want is to find that your building has been damaged resulting in your meetings being cancelled or costly repairs. Keeping the building maintained throughout the year will reduce these risks and save you lengthy and expensive repairs. Here are some handy tips to protect your property and equipment and avoid unfortunate accidents.

Let it go… down the drain

Blocked gutters, drains and pipes prevent water flowing away from the building, and if this water freezes, you could have cracked pipes and a flood risk on your hands. Even if it doesn’t freeze, accumulated water could eventually damage the foundations and masonry. 

Check for blockages regularly. These could be obvious, such as clumps of autumn leaves, but look out for splashes of soil at the base of walls, as this could mean that water is not being caught by the gutters.  It is a good idea to install drain covers to help prevent blockages.

Be ruthless, not roofless

Autumn and winter storms can dislodge roof tiles and slates off-kilter, or even completely remove, leaving gaps for water to seep into the rafters and internal damage to wallpaper and paintwork. Don’t hesitate to arrange for a roofer to replace loose or missing tiles as soon as possible, as this will be much cheaper than repairing or replacing rotten roof timbers.

Lighten up

Even the earliest evening meetings will start in the dark throughout much of the autumn and winter, so make sure that your building is very well-lit outside. There is often a seasonal rise in slips and trips under poor lighting. Switch the exterior lights on as soon as you arrive at the hut, or set a timer to illuminate the situation in advance.

Insurance cover for your buildings 

Make sure you have the right buildings cover for your organisation now, so you are not under-insured when you need to make a claim. For more information, chat to one of our advisors on 0345 040 7702.