With winter coming up, and many of us worried about our heating bills, the last thing we want is a frozen or burst pipe. It can be a real pain, cause a lot of trouble, and cost a fortune. So, here are some tips to help you avoid being caught out this winter.
Frozen and burst pipes can cause a lot of damage, even if it’s just a small leak.
To keep your pipes from freezing this winter, try these simple things:
• Insulate your water pipes and water tanks in the loft. This can help keep your home warm and reduce your energy bills.
• Use draught excluders around your doors. This can help keep your home warm and reduce your energy bills.
• If you have a smart thermostat, most will have an anti-frost setting. This can help keep your home heated to a very low temperature that will stop pipes from freezing. If you don’t have a smart thermostat, most radiators will have a setting with a snowflake symbol. Turn to this setting to allow minimal water flow between pipes and radiators to prevent freezing. If you’re going away, consider setting the heating on a timer.
• Know where your stopcock is, that turns off the incoming water supply. Test it to make sure it works. It’s usually found under the kitchen sink. If you can’t find it, ask a neighbour or call an approved plumber.
• If you’re going on holiday or leaving your home unoccupied, turn off the water at the stopcock to reduce the risk of pipes freezing and bursting.
• Fix any dripping taps. This will help prevent water from freezing.
If your pipes do freeze, here’s what you should do:
• Immediately turn the water mains off via the stopcock. Wait for the pipes to warm up, or you can try to thaw them with a hot water bottle.
• Don’t try to dislodge the ice with a hammer or melt it with a blow torch. This is likely to cause more damage.
And just a heads up, if you’ve got any furniture or clothes near frozen pipes, it’s best to move them out of the way in case the pipe decides to burst.
Now, let’s say your pipe does burst. Here’s what you should do:
1. First things first, turn off the water at the stopcock. Then, switch off your central heating and any other water heating installations. Open all the taps to drain the system.
2. Next, move any possessions, like furniture or clothes, to prevent any further damage to your property.
3. In both cases, don’t forget to contact your insurer straight away. Many insurers have 24-hour helplines that can give you advice and help you arrange professional repairs.
Oh, and if you’re planning to leave your home unoccupied, make sure to check your home insurance policy. There might be restrictions or specific requirements if your home is left unoccupied for more than a certain period, like 30 days or more.