West Lothian Council are urging householders and businesses to ensure they are Winter Ready, publishing practical tips to help avoid property damager.

The council's Building Services Manager, Grant Taylor, said: "We offer advice to tenants but the advice is relevant to all householders."

Practical advice for householders includes:

• Knowing where your stop-cock is located in the event that you have to turn off your water supply

• Ensure insurance policies are up-to-date

• Check that pipes are insulated

• Have your own supply of salt for your own footpaths, driveways and area outside your home.

Grant added: "Frozen Pipes can be a major issue during the winter. The best piece of advice is to ensure that your heating is on, at all times throughout the winter. Even if it's kept on a low heat throughout the day, it's important in terms of ensuring that pipes don't have the opportunity to freeze.

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"One of the main pieces of advice we offer council tenants is to ensure that they have contents insurance. Individual council tenants are 100% responsible for the contents within their properties so it's very important that they have insurance in place. The council can help signposts council tenants on how to obtain contents insurance."

Householders should also be aware of to deal with icicles, which can be dangerous. The advice on offer is not to knock large icicles off gutters. Putting pressure on them could cause gutters to fall, cause injury or damage to property. The advice is to leave them alone and, if necessary, block an area off underneath large icicles; if it's felt they could fall and hurt someone.

Residents are also being encouraged to ensure that they have their own stock of salt for their own streets, paths and driveways.

David Wilson, the council's Roads Operations Manager added: "We have over 2,500 grit bins which, compared to other councils, is a huge amount considering the length of footway network in West Lothian.

"During periods of extreme winter weather, they empty very quickly and whilst our teams do re-fill them, it can take a while. Then, as soon as they are filled, they are immediately emptied again. The salt provided in these bins is for use on public streets and public footpaths and we'd urge householders to purchase their own supply of salt to use on their own driveways, paths and areas outside their homes."

(MH/CM)