Have frozen Pipes?
See our guidance on how to thaw out a frozen pipe.
Prepare, Insulate, Protect, Easy
A few simple steps can protect your pipes, water tanks, outside taps, and meters from freezing, bursting, and causing costly damage to your home or business. One of the most important things you can do is insulate your pipes. Check your garage and loft for any exposed pipes or tanks that could freeze during cold weather.
How to lag your pipes step-by-step
Lagging – or insulating – pipes around your home, particularly any pipes that might be exposed to the cold, is a simple DIY project. Watch the video below where we’ve broken the process down into easy steps.
Don’t lag behind
Wrap your pipes with lagging to prevent them from freezing (or even bursting) this winter. Pay attention to the pipes in the garage, loft, or those outside your home, as these are the ones most likely to freeze when the temperature drops.
Your local DIY store should have everything you need and don’t forget to use waterproof lagging for outdoor pipes.
More ways you can prepare
Know who to contact
Make sure you have details to hand of who you need to contact if you have a burst, so you can get it repaired as soon as possible. Check your home insurance covers you for leaks or burst pipes.
Have the details of your local plumber to hand or if you need to find a plumber in your area visit.
Check the weather
You can find weather updates from the Met Office for your area by heading to their website.
The Met Office have also provided some useful advice for getting winter ready here.
Locate your stop tap
It’s important you know where your stop tap is, in case you need to switch your water off in a hurry.
Your stop tap is usually located under your kitchen sink, but sometimes can be found in your downstairs bathroom, garage, utility room or cellar.
In an emergency you can turn your stop tap clockwise to stop water flow.
Encourage warm airflow
Keep you home warm to prevent frozen pipes, even when you’re away.
Use the frost setting on your heating or leave it on very low to maintain a steady temperature.
Open any cupboard doors where there are pipes to allow warm air to reach those hard to heat spots.
Shut out the cold
Block out chilly breezes by keeping windows closed, sealing draughts and using draught excluders on doors and windows.
Don’t forget to make sure you cover your outdoor taps to prevent them from freezing and check any exposed pipes are insulated, too.
Check for leaks
Has your water bill increased, or water pressure dropped? Both could be early signs of a leak.
Find and fix any dripping taps or showers to stop water build up from freezing in the pipes or drains. Find more advice on household leaks.
Check your water meter
You'll usually find your water meter under the kitchen sink, or in a cupboard outside your property.
To avoid it freezing, make sure you pack the cupboard with insulation material and insulate the pipes leading into the cupboard.
Home maintenance
Make sure your boiler is serviced yearly to ensure it’s working correctly.
Bleed your radiators once a year to release trapped air to help hot water circulate and heat rooms more efficiently.
Find and fix damaged pipes and outdoor taps to help prevent bursts and leaks.
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