During the winter a lot of damage occurs due to water. Half of the claims under the property insurance include water!

The volume of water for your home and its contents can greatly increase: damage to carpets, wallpaper, ceilings, parquet floors, furniture...

The multi-risk insurance policies usually contain a section dealing with "water" and that covers accidental water damage.

Please note, the insurance contracts are a distinction between "water" and flooding! Water infiltration and fluid leaks in your home are thus covered by the warranty "water", but damage caused by a natural event such as the flooding of a watercourse is covered by the warranty "natural disasters".

The main causes of water damage include leaks in aging (rusty) pipes or leakage caused by freezing weather, overflowing washing machines or dishwashers, water seepage through the roof and flat roofs, overflowing from blocked gutters and forgetfulness and carelessness (e.g. flooding through an open crane).

Pay attention and regular maintenance such water damage could easily occur. It therefore seems more useful than a few simple precautions so that you are soon no feet in the water. And now that winter is imminent and we may expect freezing temperatures.

To prevent leakage of rainwater in your home

• Never leave a window open when you leave your home, not a window when thunderstorms are expected;

• Make sure your walls are in good condition, repair cracks through which rain can enter;

• Regularly check the condition of your roof after, especially after a storm or strong winds;

• Check for water seepage is not in heavy rain through roofs;

• Check your gutters and cornices are in good condition and the plumbing for rainwater;

• Clean your gutters cleaned regularly - especially during periods of dead leaves falling from the trees - and make pipes clogged

Prevent damage due to freezing weather

• Isolate or empty exposed to freezing temperatures, water pipes in time, especially a water pipe leading to an outside wall or in the garden, or in unheated classrooms installed machines;

• When a room several days unoccupied during the winter (beware of closed schools and nurseries or students who digs leave during the holiday season or after the session of January!), Empty or water installations and central heating ensure at least that its temperature remain high enough so that freezing is prevented;

• In case of a low ambient temperature in the fuel lines occur the formation of paraffin, which could cause the shutdown of the heater or even worse to cause harm;

• Perform a thorough check once it starts to thaw and do not forget uninhabited rooms of the building (attic, garage, storage ...);