Snow reason to panic?

It may be said that there is nothing Britons enjoy discussing more than the weather, with summer heat waves, winter cold snaps, gale-force winds and flooding regularly making the headlines several times each year.

And this week has certainly given people something to talk about, as the UK saw inches of snow falling across it in a thick blanket, schools closing and employees opting to work from the warmth of their own home.

Many kids will have enjoyed time away from school building snowmen, having snowball fights and going sledging, while parents may have been pleased to see their little ones getting out of the house and away from the television or computer.

And while the snow came too late for a white Christmas, there are very few feelings that can beat enjoying a cosy night indoors as a family, away from the chilly winter weather outside.

However, with the Met Office confirming yesterday (February 5th) that the snow was set to continue, with falls of between two and five cm set for the south and south-east of the UK and 20 cm possible in the Cotswolds, Chilterns and North Downs, this winter wonderland may come at a cost.

Homeowners who have not checked that their boilers and central heating systems are in good working order could end up left out in the cold at a time when they most need to be warm.

The Energy Saving Trust notes on its website that the current lifespan of a boiler is 15 years, meaning that for anyone who has not had theirs service and believes it to exceed this age should be booking in a service with a boiler engineer as soon as possible.

Not only could an old boiler be at an increased risk of breaking down and leaving a property with no heating, it could also pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Due to this, homeowners may also use the cold weather as a prompt to consider replacing their old gas boiler with a highly-efficient condensing type, which the Trust claims could significantly cut a property's carbon emissions - with boilers accounting for 60 per cent of the emissions in a gas-heated home - and save up to £275 a year on energy bills.

Furthermore, the use of heating controls can ensure that a property is kept at a consistent and comfortable temperature, while switching off when a room in unoccupied and preventing the use of excess energy.

But it is not only a home's heating appliances that should be given a once over as the temperature plummets.

The AA revealed earlier this week that across the UK, £40 million worth of claims have been lodged by homeowners who have suffered water damage to their properties.

During the winter, cold weather, such as that currently being experienced, can cause the water in pipes to freeze and expand.

As a result, the pipes can burst and cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to both the building and its contents.

By keeping the central heating on a low temperature of around 12 degrees Celsius when a house is unoccupied, Britons can be left safe in the knowledge that they will not be arriving back to a flooded home.

However, for homeowners who wish to stay warm and reduce their emissions, there may soon be a heating device available.