Introduction - it makes good sense to try to prevent subsidence damage at your property, if you are forced to make a claim under your home insurance policy; the minimum policy excess is usually £1000.00. On top of this your home may suffer a reduction in value and prove difficult to sell. The following are general maintenance tips that will help keep your home in good condition.

• Gutters - Check your gutters regularly- Often you will find that leaves have built up, particularly during the autumn months. Clear our rubbish etc, if left to accumulate, you may find that water spillage causes deterioration to facia and rafter ends.

• Gullies - Frequently, perhaps every 6-8 weeks remove the grid and give it a scrub. At least once a year, empty the trap by using a mop and soak up the residue with a cloth. Always wear rubber gloves. Scrub the gully with hot water and washing soda. Rinse out afterwards

• Pipes - When water freezes, its volume will increase by up to 10% the resulting pressure may split the metal. Water damage will occur when the ice thaws and damage will result unless the water is turned off at the mains. Lag all pipes in the roof space. Lag the storage cistern with a proprietary jacket or with slabs of expanded polystyrene making sure that there are no gaps where the pipes connect to the cistern lab a slab on top but do not insulate the underside.

• Dry Rot - is nearly always the result of a structural defect leading to rising damp or to fault s with plumbing. The fungus thrives on timber with 20-40% moisture content. Watch out for signs, you will not be able to claim for this under your home insurance policy.

• Wet Rot - This is far more common than dry rot and attacks exterior woodwork. It is easy to spot, as woodwork becomes dark brown to black. The first signs involve the peeling away of pain to reveal the dark rotted timber beneath.

• Window Frames - Keep frames both old and new well-painted and free from damp. Damp may attack the joints causing rotting. Check the drip grooves under the hardwood sill or any concrete or stone sub sill. These grooves, should not be allowed to become clogged by continual painting.

• Damp - this is one of the most serious causes to property damage. The three main causes of damp are structural failure, this may be caused by subsidence, soil or rubble stacked against the property, cracks in tiles or slates etc, broken windows, doors, flashings or broken gutters.

• Condensation - This is caused by moisture laden warm air coming in to contact with a cold non porous surface such a s a window pane. The temperature in the room is lowered, its capacity to hold moisture drops and the excess water is deposited as water droplets on the cold surface

• Porus Materials- Bricks are naturally porous but if brickwork is too absorbent or badly pointed it can become water logged.

• General Maintenance - Try to keep an eye on everything that makes your housework. Are the drains blocked? Is there rubbish piled up against a wall. Have the electrics recently been inspected by an electrician. Are the trees being pruned, are the batteries in the smoke detectors working, do you know where the stopcocks are located. Have you got the phone numbers for emergency call outs?