Two days of snow are set to sweep over the UK on Monday evening and Tuesday morning as much of the country prepares for an Arctic blast.
And there are several things households should be doing now to prepare for the extreme weather, say experts, to make sure you stay safe when the temperatures drop and the snow causes disruption.
The Met Office has put a yellow weather warning in place for most of England and Scotland as well as parts of Wales, starting at 7pm tonight and lasting until 10am on Wednesday.
Several major cities including Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool and Nottingham are caught up in the warning and are bracing for up to 20cm of snow overnight.
And now, energy supplier British Gas is warning anyone with trees in their garden that they need to make sure they trim branches before the snow arrives.
That’s because snow falling on trees can pose a risk, as the heavy snow gathers on branches and can cause them to snap or collapse.
British Gas said in its advice on preparing your home for snow: “Tree branches that hang over your property could suddenly break under the extra weight of snow and ice – causing damage to your home. So do a quick check outside and trim off any that pose a risk.”
The firm also advised that home owners must clear gutters, as well as check their boiler to make sure it’s running properly and get it serviced before winter kicks in.
The supplier added: “To keep your boiler running smoothly and minimise the risk of being without heating or hot water, it’s a good idea to have a boiler service by a Gas Safe engineer before cold weather comes. They’ll make sure it’s in good working order and carry out any repairs if need be.”
And finally, households have also been told to check where their stopcock is.
This is the control tap which turns off the water in the entire house, which you may need to do if you have a burst pipe or a leak due to the cold.
They added: “So it’s worth double-checking where your stopcock is before that happens, just in case.
“It’s usually under the kitchen sink or in a cupboard on an exterior wall.”
