Sue’s Guide To Dealing With Frozen Pipes
Cold and frosty spells can play havoc with your pipework if you don’t have decent insulation and if the pipes freeze, it means no water.
Prevention is better than cure, so – ideally before cold snaps set in – make sure pipes are insulated or lagged, especially in the loft.
Buy a cosy jacket for your hot water tank. You can pick one up for less than £10 at most DIY stores. Make sure you fix any dripping taps, too.
Check your home insurance is up to date in case the worst happens and your pipes burst. Check your insurer’s website too, as most have handy troubleshooting guides and advice.
Make sure you know where your inside “stop tap” is in case you ever need to switch off the water. One in six of us don’t know where this is, according to Aviva – yet it’s often a tap under the kitchen sink.
If pipes freeze, you could try DIY thawing methods such as using a hairdryer on a low setting, providing it’s safe to do so. Churchill Insurance has a handy short video showing what you can do at WWW.CHURCHILL.COM.
However some plumbers warn against DIY methods as frozen pipes can burst if they warm up too quickly.
And if you do need to call a plumber, find a qualified one in your area through sites like WWW.FINDAQUALITYPLUMBER.CO.UK. Check for members of the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors too, for peace of mind.