Be smarter by being prepared for the winter
Cold spells can be troublesome for your home. There are some simple steps you can take to protect your home from winter weather which may help reduce repairs and maintenance.
In very cold weather, water pipes can freeze and this can cause them to burst. The advice below should help avoid frozen pipes:
In severe weather you may be making use of fires and candles for warmth, ambience, or in the event of power cuts, for light.
To stay safe using fire, you are advised to ensure that you have a smoke alarm on every level of your home and that you test it regularly.
You should also do the following:
Open fires: sweep your chimney, use a fireguard, make sure the fire is put out properly before you leave the room.
Electric heaters: keep away from curtains and furniture, and do not use for drying clothes. Always unplug when you go out or go to bed.
Electric blankets: do not use a hot water bottle, even if the blanket's switched off. Unplug blankets before you go to bed, unless they have thermostat control for safe all-night use.
Candles: lit candles must never be left unattended and should be secured in a proper holder away from materials that may catch fire - like curtains.
If you have a thatched roof:
read fire safety guidance
For more information, you may wish to contact your local fire and rescue service (not 999). Alternatively, visit HM Government's Fire Kills campaign web page or HM Governments' Fire Kills campaign on Facebook
If you spot that one of your pipes might be frozen, turn off your inside stop tap. It might be under the kitchen sink, in an airing cupboard or under floorboards near the front door.
It's best to thaw out pipes slowly, by using a hairdryer on its lowest setting, hot water bottles or towels soaked in warm water. Do not use direct heat as this may cause permanent damage to the pipes and could also lead to a fire in the home.
Turn on nearby cold taps (keep the stop tap turned off) this will relieve pressure on the frozen pipe.
Sometimes pipes freezing and thawing can cause them to burst. If this happens, turn off the mains water supply immediately by using stopcock. This will stop any more water getting into the water pipes. If the burst pipe is on the main water system the rush of water will stop after a short while.
If the rush of water does not stop or there is still a constant run of water, the problem is probably on the cold water storage system. You will need to drain down the cold water storage tank which is usually located in the roof space.
To find an accredited and trusted plumber qualified to work with water supplies in your area visit the WaterSafe website (www.watersafe.org.uk) or call 0333 207 9030.
If you are planning to leave your property empty for a period of time over the winter, it is a good idea to do the following:
Stay weather aware this winter by following the Met Office on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube for the latest weather information. You can also sign up for severe weather alerts from us through the Twitter Alerts programme, providing critical information directly to your phone. Find out more about how to sign up for Met Office Twitter alerts
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Colin Stainer, WaterSafe Plumbing & Heating Engineer, has seen it all- freezing houses, burst pipes and extensive water damage. Read on for his top tips.Read more