Avoid Frozen Pipes This Winter
23/11/2011
Last year’s exceptionally cold weather caused problems for both homeowners and businesses throughout Yorkshire. The freezing temperatures resulted in burst and broken pipes, both in people's homes and business premises and Easaway saw a marked increase in calls to remedy these situations. Further problems are expected this year as weather forecasters predict another cold winter.
Tony Phillips, MD of Easaway Environmental warned: "Properties left empty over the Christmas period could suffer significant damage from burst pipes when the freezing weather starts to thaw. Water pipes and tanks in lofts and exposed places can burst as the water inside them freezes. When the ice thaws, the damaged pipes leak, often with serious and costly consequences”
Yorkshire Water have launched their ‘Wrap Up’ campaign and offer the following advice to protect your house from a big freeze.
1. Identify the pipework both inside and outside of your home which may be at risk of freezing from sub-zero temperatures - eg outdoor taps, pipes linking up to internal water meters or in unheated draughty areas such as lofts and cellars.
2. Use appropriate lagging to insulate your pipework.
3. Locate your internal stop tap and make sure that it is working correctly by opening and closing it before the cold weather starts
4. Keep your central heating on a low setting throughout cold spells.
5. Have a list of useful numbers and websites close to hand in the event that anything goes wrong