With the UK weather becoming more and more unpredictable, we need to be prepared for any eventuality. Without the proper care and maintenance, your pipes can easily freeze over in the plummeting winter temperatures. Preventing your pipes from freezing over is easy. Repairing damage from burst pipes isn’t!
Luckily, GreenSmart are here to help with our guide on how to prevent your pipes from freezing over this winter.
Why can frozen pipes burst?
When water freezes, it expands. When water inside a pipe freezes, the expansion pressurises the pipe from the inside. Some pipes, depending on their age, corrosion level, type of pipe, and the volume of frozen water inside them, will burst at this pressure. In 2021, the average cost of weather-related home insurance claims for burst pipes was £9,300. And with the issue being an easy one to prevent, it’s definitely worth the time and effort.
How to prevent your pipes from freezing?
There are a number of different things that you can do in order to help stop your pipes from freezing.
Have your boiler serviced
Making sure that your boiler is in top working condition through an annual boiler service can prepare your pipes and system for the colder weather. If your boiler isn’t working properly, the cold spots will be most vulnerable to the low temperatures.
Insulate your pipes and water tanks
Insulating your pipes is one of the best ways to prevent them from freezing. Focus on outdoor pipes and pipes in colder areas of your home such as loft spaces and garages. You can buy pipe sponge covers reasonably cheaply, however you can also make your own.
Leave your heating on
In this cost of living crisis, most people are doing everything they can to keep their energy bills low, like turning your heating off when you’re not home. However, leaving your heating on between 12 and 15 C whilst away from the property keeps the air inside your house warm and helps to stop internal pipes from freezing.
Keeping cabinet doors and any loft hatches open will also allow warm air to circulate around your internal pipework.
Run your taps
It’s harder for water to freeze if it is running, so it is important to turn your taps on and off regularly and allow them to trickle so that water is continuously moving.
Know where your stop tap is
In the eventuality that your pipes do freeze, it is essential that you know where your stop tap is and how to stop the water flow to your home. Turning off the water supply to your home can prevent more water from entering the affected pipes and causing further damage.
How to thaw frozen pipes
If you turn your tap on after a bout of cold weather and only get a small trickle of water, it is likely that your pipes have frozen. Luckily, if you catch it early enough (before the pipe bursts), it is relatively easy to thaw out frozen pipes.
Apply heat
Apply heat to a section of your frozen pipe. You can use a range of different heating methods, such as wrapping the pipe in towels soaked in hot water, or electronically heating the pipe with a heating pad, hairdryer or a portable space heater. Ensure that you apply the heat until your full water pressure is restored. If you can’t find the frozen area or it is inaccessible, contact a licensed plumber.
Keep the tap on
As you start to thaw out areas of the frozen pipe and the ice begins to melt, water will begin to flow. By keeping the faucet open, you allow water to flow more freely through the pipe, helping to melt the rest of the ice.
How GreenSmart can help
At GreenSmart, our friendly team of gas safe engineers can offer support to help prevent your pipes from freezing this winter, and even have the expertise to thaw them out if necessary. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help you.
