For anyone who owned or managed buildings in London or the South East, early February 2009 brought calls about leaks. Heavy snow began to fall on 1 February 2009, and parts of London saw more than 20 cm, an unusual amount for the capital. As it thawed, the damage started to show.
How snow causes damage
- Blocked gutters and outlets. Snow and ice fill valley and parapet gutters. Meltwater then backs up under slates, tiles and flashings and into the building.
- Weight on roofs. Drifts build up against parapets and in valleys, loading roof structures, gutters and fixings.
- Freezing pipes. Pipes and tanks in unheated roof spaces, voids and outbuildings can freeze and split. The leak often only appears when the thaw comes.
- Falling snow and ice. Sliding snow can tear down gutters and damage canopies and rooflights below.
What to check now
- Look at ceilings below gutters, valleys and roof edges for fresh staining.
- Check roof spaces for wet insulation, dripping pipes and split tanks.
- Inspect gutters and downpipes from the ground for sagging, splits and missing sections.
- Clear outlets where it is safe to do so, and do not send anyone onto a snowy or icy roof.
- Turn off the water supply to empty or unheated parts of a building if pipes may have frozen.
Making an insurance claim
Most buildings policies cover escape of water from burst pipes, and many cover storm damage, but wording varies and some policies treat snow differently. Read the policy, notify the insurer promptly and take steps to prevent further damage, which you will normally be expected to do.
Keep a record of what you find: photographs, dates and the cost of emergency repairs. Separate sudden damage from long standing defects, because insurers will not pay for wear and tear or for gutters that were already failing. A clear diagnosis from a surveyor helps settle that question early.
Prevention for next winter
Snow damage is often made worse by gutters already partly blocked and pipes poorly insulated. Autumn gutter clearance and insulation of roof space pipework cost little and prevent a lot. Both belong in any planned maintenance programme.
See our Insurance Claims and Reinstatement and Planned Preventative Maintenance services, and how we reinstated two flats after an escape of water.