As the cold weather looks set to continue, we at Letpads wanted to let you know how to protect your home from frozen and burst pipes during the freezing weather.
When weather freezes, it expands, putting more pressure on pipes and joints which can cause them to split or pull apart. As the water in the pipe thaws, water pours through the damaged pipe and could cause damage to your home.
Most bursts caused by frozen pipes are avoidable, simply follow our three simple steps to avoid the hassle and expense of burst pipes, especially so near to Christmas.
First of all be prepared and know where your stop tap is so you can turn your water off in an emergency. It’s a little tap that’s usually under the kitchen sink, but we’ve seen houses where it’s in the downstairs loo, garage and even in a cupboard under the stairs. It’s important as this will help reduce water damage to your home if a pipe burst.
Insulate your pipes in cold places
Insulate water pipes with lagging to prevent them from freezing. Make sure that pipes in cold places, such as the loft, garage and outside are protected. Insulating hot water pipes will also prevent heat from escaping and help save money on your energy bills. Ask at your DIY store for the best type of insulation to use, pipe lagging isn’t expensive and if you have an outside tap in the garden, it’s worth having a tap cover to protect that from freezing too.
If your water pipes aren’t already insulated and you can’t do it yourself you may need to ask for some help. As the temperature drops, please look after yourself, family and friends especially those who may be vulnerable during the cold weather.