Cricket Club Winter Preparation Checklist

It won’t be long before the weather deteriorates and we finally have to give in to the inevitable – winter in all its glory!  This means that many cricket clubs that don’t host any winter sports activities, will be closing their doors until the next spring arrives.

As you know here in the UK, Mother Nature has a nasty habit of throwing all sorts of weather at us during the autumn and winter months, which is why you need to make sure that your club is secure over the autumn and winter period.

So before you put your club into mothballs and lock the doors until the warmer weather you may like to consider the following actions:

The exterior:

• Check the roof and all the walls and repair damaged brickwork or loose/missing mortar, fill in holes in any timber and ensure paintwork is not cracked or flaking.  Secure loose roof tiles and replace any that are missing or broken.
• Inspect any flat roofs for signs of wear, cracks or splits and affect repairs if needed.  
• Check that all drainpipes are not blocked and that gutters are clear of any obstructions and are not leaking.  Again make good any damage.

The interior:

• Check for any signs of vermin, pests or any other infestation
• Check for any damp patches or leaks around pipework and make repairs accordingly.
• Any exposed pipework should be properly lagged to prevent bursting due to freezing
• If your club is not going to be used over the winter months, drain the water supplies and turn off at the mains.  Also turn off power supplies as long as they are not used to run an alarm/security system
• Lock/store ‘attractive’ items out of site to help deter theft.
  

All in all ensure that all your measures including security comply with the requirements of your insurance policy.

Whilst your club is not in use...

Set yourself or your club members an inspection routine so that the premises are checked at least every 14 days especially after any periods of particularly bad or stormy weather. 

Make sure your visits are documented including dates and times and details of any damage that requires a repair to be effected.

If you spot that damage has occurred…

• Check the area, as long as it is safe to do so, to determine the cause.
• Advise your insurer as soon as you can after discovery and follow their instructions. You may need to make repairs to ensure the building is secure and stop further damage occurring.
• If it is an attempted break-in you will need to advise the police.
• Damage as a result of storm/winter weather may require immediate repair to ensure any resulting damage does not occur.  You may also need to decide what is required to dry out the building structure and the contents
• Do not throw away any damaged contents – these need to be store in a secure and dry place until insurers (or their representatives) have inspected them.

We hope these points are informative but do contact us if you would like more information

It won’t be long before the weather deteriorates and we finally have to give in to the inevitable – winter in all its glory!  This means that many cricket clubs that don’t host any winter sports activities, will be closing their doors until the next spring arrives.

As you know here in the UK, Mother Nature has a nasty habit of throwing all sorts of weather at us during the autumn and winter months, which is why you need to make sure that your club is secure over the autumn and winter period.

So before you put your club into mothballs and lock the doors until the warmer weather you may like to consider the following actions:

The exterior:

• Check the roof and all the walls and repair damaged brickwork or loose/missing mortar, fill in holes in any timber and ensure paintwork is not cracked or flaking.  Secure loose roof tiles and replace any that are missing or broken.
• Inspect any flat roofs for signs of wear, cracks or splits and affect repairs if needed.  
• Check that all drainpipes are not blocked and that gutters are clear of any obstructions and are not leaking.  Again make good any damage.

The interior:

• Check for any signs of vermin, pests or any other infestation
• Check for any damp patches or leaks around pipework and make repairs accordingly.
• Any exposed pipework should be properly lagged to prevent bursting due to freezing
• If your club is not going to be used over the winter months, drain the water supplies and turn off at the mains.  Also turn off power supplies as long as they are not used to run an alarm/security system
• Lock/store ‘attractive’ items out of site to help deter theft.

 All in all ensure that all your measures including security comply with the requirements of your insurance policy.

Whilst your club is not in use...

Set yourself or your club members an inspection routine so that the premises are checked at least every 14 days especially after any periods of particularly bad or stormy weather. 

Make sure your visits are documented including dates and times and details of any damage that requires a repair to be effected.

If you spot that damage has occurred…

• Check the area, as long as it is safe to do so, to determine the cause.
• Advise your insurer as soon as you can after discovery and follow their instructions. You may need to make repairs to ensure the building is secure and stop further damage occurring.
• If it is an attempted break-in you will need to advise the police.
• Damage as a result of storm/winter weather may require immediate repair to ensure any resulting damage does not occur.  You may also need to decide what is required to dry out the building structure and the contents
• Do not throw away any damaged contents – these need to be store in a secure and dry place until insurers (or their representatives) have inspected them.

We hope these points are informative but do contact us if you would like more information