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Make your home safe

Welcome to Home Doctor

Norwich Union is a leading provider of home insurance, and we believe we should give our customers more than financial protection for the things they care about.

We've drawn on our extensive experience and researched authoritative, expert resources such as the Police, the Fire Service, Health and Safety to bring you Home Doctor: a guide packed with essential advice to help keep your home safe and secure.

If you are already well organised, it may still highlight some things you haven't thought about. If you are no expert, you'll find it packed with practical solutions for reducing risks and improving the safety of your surroundings.

There are times when the unexpected, such as extreme weather conditions, or just a brief distraction might put the safety of your house at risk. To learn more about avoiding accidents and minimise damage, read more below.

Fire Safety

Reasons for fire are wide-ranging, but the most common cause is cooking; yet many fires could be preventable with some simple safety measures, such as:

Don't leave pans unattended
When frying don't fill the pan more than one-third full with fat or oil. If it overheats turn the heat supply off, place a lid or wet towel over the unit and leave to cool down. NEVER pour water onto a chip pan fire as the effects can be devastating
Keep toasters away from curtains
Keep oven and grill clean to avoid food and fat deposits catching fire
When cooking outdoors, ensure the BBQ is located away from timber sheds, fences, canopies and gazebos and other combustible material
Avoid the use of fuel accelerants to hot BBQ coals and make sure coals have fully cooled down prior to disposing of ashes
Place fireguards around open fires to reduce the risk of glowing embers 'spitting' from the fire onto nearby carpets and furnishings
Keep portable heating appliances away from furnishing and other flammable materials
Do not overload sockets. As a general rule one socket = one plug
Avoid leaving electrical appliances switched on or in stand-by mode when not in use as this presents an unnecessary risk should a fault or overheating occur
Never leave candles unattended and always extinguish them before leaving the property or retiring to bed
Always place lit candles in a secure holder on a non-combustible surface. Never place lit candles on top of televisions, nor near combustible items such as greeting cards, curtains, bedding and fabric
Install a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide detector. Some prefer, for added peace of mind, to have a fire extinguisher and/or a fire blanket about the house

Smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detectors

Deaths and injuries from fire in the home are reduced when people have early warning of a fire. Widely available from DIY stores and major supermarkets, smoke alarms alert you in case of fire, while carbon monoxide alarms provide early warning of increased levels of dangerous gases.

Units can be wired into the main electrical supply within the home or rely on a battery for their source of power, the latter offering a simple, cost effective solution. If using a battery powered unit it is recommended batteries are checked weekly using the test button fitted, however, they need to be changed at least annually
Smoke detectors should be located at ceiling level within central common areas such as stairwells, halls and landings. It is recommended that one detector is fitted per floor for standard size homes. Areas such as lounges, kitchens and bathrooms should be avoided due to increased rates of false alarms
Carbon monoxide detectors are designed to detect a build up of dangerous gases, therefore these should be located near to central heating boilers and open fires

Fire Extinguishers & Fire Blankets

They are now available within DIY stores at very reasonable costs.

A, B and C type fire extinguishers are the most appropriate type to use within the home considering the various types of fire that you may encounter.

Class A fire type - Wood, paper, textiles, other carbonaceous materials. Extinguisher recommended - Water
Class A & B fire type - As above with petrol, oil, fats and paints etc. Extinguisher recommended - AFFF [Aqueous Film Forming Foam]
Class A,B & C fire type - As both above with electrical hazards. Extinguisher recommended - ABC dry powder
Class C fire type - Petrol, oil, fats, paints and electrical hazards. Extinguisher recommended - Co2 Carbon Dioxide

Fire extinguishers and blankets should be placed in accessible locations and preferably wall mounted. They should be serviced on an annual basis by an appropriate service provider, like a member of FETA (Fire Extinguisher Trades Association).

Only use extinguishers on minor fires. In any case, always call the Fire Brigade on 999 for assistance.

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Flood

Natural disasters cannot be predicted but the risks can be weighed up and, if you receive prior warning of storms/flooding, you may be able to take action to help reduce damage to your home and belongings:

Listen to local radio and television for severe weather warnings; these are often predicted well in advance allowing time to prepare
Make use of the Environment Agency Flood line service for up to date flood warnings throughout the UK, telephone 01276 454 725
Sandbags to external doors will reduce the flow of water into the property; blocking up air bricks with timber or plastic sheeting will slow down water flow through these points
Relocate as much furniture, valuables, electrical equipment as possible to a high level. Lift rugs and curtains off the ground
Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies at the mains
Ensure all temporary buildings, sheds, greenhouses etc., are securely fixed in place. Broken or damaged fencing should be repaired. Keep vehicles and other portable items away from large trees

After damage has occurred

Inform your insurer as soon as possible of any relevant details
Do not remove or throw anything away until instructed to do so by the insurer, as damaged items need to be inspected to assess damage
Do not appoint contractors until approved by your insurer
Do not use gas or electrical services until inspected and cleared by the relevant suppliers

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Subsidence

Subsidence is a downward movement of the ground supporting the building, while heave is the opposite, with the ground moving upwards. This often relates to changes in the amount of water in the soil. Certain types of soil, like clay, are more likely to shrink during long periods of hot dry weather. Among the major causes for changes in the amount of water in the soil are damaged drains and roots of trees.

Some trees could increase the risk of subsidence damage if located too close to the property as they might take large quantities of moisture out of the soil. However, removing mature trees can increase the risk of heave.

Before planting trees think about the soil type, variety of the tree and how big it will get when fully matured.

Guide to safe tree planting

Certain types of trees (particularly broad leaved varieties which use more water) will increase the risk of subsidence if planted too close to a building.

Here are typical safe distances of some common trees, outside which the tree is unlikely to affect subsidence of the building:

Species	Normal/Mature Height (m)	Safe distance (m)
Beech	20	15
Birch	14	10
Cherry	17	11
Elm	25	30
Hawthorn	10	12
Horse Chestnut	20	23
Lime	24	20
Maple	21	20
Oak	24	30
Pine	29	8
Sycamore	24	17
Willow	24	40

What to do if you find cracks in your home

Most homes suffer cracks at some time or other, so don't be alarmed by every crack that appears
It's time to take action when a series of small cracks suddenly appear in plasterwork at weak points around doors and windows, especially after long periods of dry weather. Cracks which could indicate ground movement are usually wider than the thickness of a 10p coin and are usually wider at the top than at the bottom