As arctic air sees temperatures drop, there is an increased risk of pipes freezing or bursting.
Typically frozen pipes will affect individual dwellings, as opposed to communal pipes and there is much information and advice available online regarding this subject, some of which we have gathered together here.
To help prevent your pipes from freezing:
- Know where your internal stopcock valve is (it’s usually under the kitchen sink) and how to turn it off
- Keep your home warm
- Insulate pipes in exposed or draughty places
- Keep your boiler service up-to-date
- Have the name and telephone number of a qualified plumber to hand
If your pipes might be frozen, turn off your inside stop tap immediately, advises the Met Office.
- You’ll usually find this under the kitchen sink, but it can also be in downstairs bathrooms, kitchen cupboards, garages, cellars or under the stairs
- Turning on nearby cold taps (keep the stop tap turned off) can relieve pressure on the frozen pipe, saving some water for flushing toilets and hand washing
- It’s best to thaw out frozen pipes slowly, with hot water bottles or towels soaked in hot water.
- Never use a naked flame or blowtorch to thaw the pipe – direct heat can cause permanent damage and also risks a fire in your home.
- If you need help, contact an approved plumber.
Sometimes pipes freezing and thawing can cause them to burst. If this happens:
- Turn off the water supply coming into your property at the stop tap and switch off your boiler
- Open all your taps to drain the system as quickly as possible, saving some water in a bucket for flushing toilets and hand washing.
- When the water stops running, turn all the taps off
- Soak up escaping water with towels to limit the damage
- Call an approved plumber who is qualified to work on the plumbing system in your home
- If water has leaked near your electrics, do not touch them and switch them off at the fuse box
Information on emergency contacts can be found here, please be aware of the Terms and Conditions of these services and only utilise this service where absolutely necessary.
Where appropriate, an insurance claim for damage will be intimated on behalf of the collective homeowners.
If you experience damage within your flat or apartment and need to intimate an insurance claim directly you can find information about this here and details of your buildings insurance cover via the Documents area of your My H&P Web Portal or App (available on the App Store or Google Play).
If you are experiencing issues your Property Management Team are here to assist you.
