Frozen pipes

Got no water?

• Check your post to see if we've sent you a card to let you know that we'll be turning the water off to carry out work in your area.
• Check to see if there’s an emergency in your area.
• Ask your neighbours if they have water.

If you're the only one without water, you may have frozen pipes. Please follow the steps below.

Thawing out a frozen pipe

1. Turn off your stop tap by turning it clockwise, it’s usually found under your kitchen sink but can be in your garage or cellar.
2. Once you’ve turned your stop tap off, turn on your cold tap in the kitchen.
3. If you have no water, this could be due to a frozen pipe somewhere in your home.  This may be the pipe which comes into your home near to where your stop tap is located. 
4. Carefully thaw the pipe using a warm towel, or if safe to do so a hairdryer in short bursts, ensuring you keep well away from water. If you can get water from a neighbour, you could try a hot water bottle too. This could take a while, depending on how frozen and big your pipes are.
5. Do not use a blow torch or any kind of naked flame to try and thaw the pipe, as this could cause more damage.
6. Switch your stop tap back on to see if the water is running and check for any burst pipes in your home.
7. If you do have burst pipe when your water comes back on please visit our burst pipes page.
8. If your water doesn’t come back on, you will need to check with your home insurance company to see if you are covered for frozen pipes or call a plumber. You can find an approved plumber here.

To avoid frozen pipes in the future, click to link below to view our guide for getting your pipes winter ready.

Guide for getting your pipes winter ready