How To Avoid A Burst Pipe This Winter

A burst pipe is a householder’s nightmare – as well as being inconvenient and running up your water bill if you have a water meter, water can cause a huge amount of damage to décor, furnishings and can even damage the structural integrity of your walls if left unchecked. Leaks in bathrooms can result in bulging or even collapsed ceilings, and if the water hits electrical equipment then it could result in an extremely dangerous system. Prevention is better than cure, and there are a few things you can do that will reduce the risk of a pipe bursting. Read our guide on how to avoid a burst pipe now…

How To Avoid A Burst Pipe Check List

• Make sure that you have had your annual boiler service. Central Heating boilers require a service to make sure they perform at their optimum level.
• Keep doors and windows closed in winter, to avoid chilly draughts reaching parts of your home that are not heated and so is more susceptible to freezing.
• Open the loft hatch occasionally to allow warm air to reach any pipes in the loft.
• If you are going away, leave the thermostat on low, or set the heating to turn on periodically so that a minimum temperature is maintained and not a cycle of freezing and thawing. Also get a friend or neighbour to check your property periodically.
• Turn of all of your taps – make sure they are fully switched off before turning in on a cold night.
• Don’t neglect repairs – dripping taps should be fixed immediately, and make sure your outside tap has lagging on pipes feeding it, or turn off the supply over the winter and switch it on, so there is no water left in it.
• Check that any pipework in the loft space, outside, or in contact with an external wall is properly lagged to prevent it from freezing.

Taking these simple steps can cut the chances of you suffering a burst pipe this winter. For more information contact L&W Heating and Plumbing services today on one of our local numbers below:-

Plumbers Wigan 01942 417220
Plumbers St Helens 01744 776140
Plumbers Newton Le Willows 01925 394260
Plumbers Warrington 01925 394260
Plumbers Runcorn 01925 394260
Plumbers Widnes 01925 394260