Frozen pipes are more than an inconvenience—they can burst and cause serious damage. Prevention is much easier (and cheaper) than dealing with a split pipe later.
❄️ Keep your heating on (even when you’re away)
- Set your heating to a low constant temperature (around 12–15°C).
- Avoid turning it off completely during cold snaps.
🧥 Insulate exposed pipes
- Focus on pipes in:
- Lofts
- Garages
- Under sinks
- External walls
- Use foam pipe lagging (cheap and easy to fit).
- Pay extra attention to outdoor pipes and taps.
🚪 Let warm air circulate
- Open cupboard doors under sinks so warm air can reach pipes.
- Especially important in kitchens and bathrooms on outside walls.
💧 Keep water moving slightly
- Let a tap drip slowly during very cold nights.
- Moving water is less likely to freeze.
🌡️ Seal up draughts
- Block cold air entering through gaps around:
- Pipes
- Windows
- Doors
Even small draughts can freeze nearby pipes.
🏠 Insulate your loft and tank
- Proper loft insulation helps keep the whole house warmer.
- If you have a water tank, make sure it’s insulated (but not the underside if it sits above a heated space).
🚰 Know your stopcock location
- If a pipe does freeze or burst, you’ll need to act fast and shut off the water.
⚠️ If pipes do freeze
- Turn off the water supply immediately.
- Gently thaw with warm (not boiling) water, a hairdryer, or towels.
- Never use an open flame.
🚨 Extra caution during cold snaps
- Sudden temperature drops are the biggest risk.
- Pipes that were “fine last year” can still freeze if conditions are worse.