Cold weather advice - frozen pipes and bursts
In this extremely cold weather water pipes may freeze and leaks may occur.
The first you normally know of a frozen pipe is when the water runs slowly or stops running from the taps or when pipes defrost and water starts running into your property.
It is essential that you know how to stop the water flow to your home, in case you are unlucky enough to have a leak or burst. Make sure you know where your stopcock is, clear the area around it for easy access and check it works, by rotating the tap head clock wise to the fully closed position
If you spot new signs of a leaky pipe, fresh damp patches of rings on ceilings or walls, close the stopcock.
Call : 01223 315036, then dial 1 if it is out of hours, to book a repairs visit.
Keep this number handy just in case you need it.
Things that could help
- If you are going away, use the stopcock to turn off the water supply coming into your home
- Keep your heating on constant at about 17 degrees C
- Fit an insulated cover or piece of old foam insulation or packaging on your outside tap to insulate it
- If any of your tanks and pipes are inside cupboards, open the door to allow the heat in from the rest of the room
- Fit draught excluders to windows and doors
These precautions should help protect your home and keep it warm and dry