Our top tips for Preventing and Dealing With Frozen Pipes

With Autumn coming to an end and Winter seemingly already upon us, it’s time to think about preventing your pipes freezing and causing costly damage to your property. If you have a vacant property, a second home, or a holiday rental that may be unoccupied in the coming months, they can be even more at risk than a regularly lived-in home.  

Why do pipes freeze?

• Insufficient insulation.
• Exposure to draughts where the pipe meets the property walls.
• Insufficient circulation of warm air throughout the property.

Our top tips for keeping your pipes from freezing 

Prevention is better than cure, so take the time to check and maintain any issues and weatherproof your home before winter hits.

• Keep your heating on low or set it on a daily timer. If you’re concerned about the energy costs, check out this guide to more efficient boiler settings. 

• Pipes in lofts or outdoors are most susceptible to freezing. Pipe lagging is an easy, affordable, and easy to install way to insulate your vulnerable pipes.  

• Many modern boiler systems have a frost protection mode. This is a feature that automatically activates to prevent freezing.  

• Check that everyone in the house knows where the water stopcock is and that they know to turn it off in an emergency. This will stop the flow of water and limit the damage.

• Ask a neighbour or a friend to check on the property at least once a week if you are going to be away for more than a few days, and definitely if you are away for over 30 consecutive days. 

5 steps to managing a frozen pipe before it bursts 

1. Identify the blockage – This can be done by feeling along the pipe. The frozen area will feel noticeably colder to the touch compared to the rest of the pipe. 

2. Turn off the stopcock – This will stop the flow of water through the pipe. 

3. Open the tap nearest to the frozen pipe – This could be in the kitchen, bathroom, or an outside tap. It will give the melting water somewhere to escape. 

4. Defrost the pipe gradually – Although it may be tempting to do this as quickly as possible, this process should be gradually. Avoid using open flames, hairdryers, or your central heating system. Instead, we would recommend wrapping the pipe in lagging or even a towel. 

5. Before you turn the water back on, check for any damage that the blockage may have cause. 

What should you do if a pipe bursts? 

If you discover a burst pipe in your property, stop the water flow immediately by turning off the main stopcock, which is usually located under the kitchen sink. 

Open all cold taps in the property to drain any remaining water in the system and flush all toilets to release the water from the pipes. Only turn off your taps when the water has stopped running. You will also need to turn off your heating system if it runs off a boiler. Turn your boiler off and once this is done, open all the hot water taps in the property to drain the system. 

Use buckets or whatever’s handy to collect the water from the leak, and if water has pooled, use towels and mops to clear this up to minimise further damage and slip hazards. If water is flowing in a certain direction, move belongings and furniture out of its path as best you can. By increasing airflow in the affected area, you can help speed up the drying process – you can do this by opening windows (weather permitting, of course) to reduce moisture in the air and prevent mould growth. 

Only if it’s safe to do so should you more closely inspect the damage. If any electrical outlets, switches or appliances may have come into contact with water, do not touch them. If necessary, turn off the electricity completely. 

If you are confident in doing so and it is safe, you can apply a temporary fix of pipe repair tape or a pipe clamp to limit the leak until a professional can attend. Either way, it’s now time to contact a professional plumber if you haven’t done so already. Not only will they be able to repair the problem, but they can also check for any further issues that may have been caused by the burst pipe. 

If you think you will need to claim on your home insurance policy, take photos and notes, documenting any water damage to the building and your contents. 

Keeping your damaged possessions is worthwhile too, as your insurance provider may ask to see the damaged items (or photos of the items) to be able to process your claim accurately.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? 

For more information on how to protect your property, reduce the risk of storm damage and burglary, and avoid insurance claims in the winter, read our Ultimate Guide to winter Home Protection.