Prepare your plumbing for winter

Your home plumbing could pay a big price if your house isn’t prepared for winter.
It only seems like a couple of weeks ago when we were putting tips together about hot weather plumbing problems… but now it’s time to prepare for the colder weather.

The following are our favourite tips to help you prepare your plumbing for the cold weather, so you can sail through the autumn and winter without expensive and inconvenient burst pipes.

1. Protect your pipes from the cold

When temperatures plummet, water can freeze inside, causing them to expand and burst. If you are out of the house when this happens or the burst pipe is concealed, the results can be disastrous, including flooding and water damage to your home and possessions.

To reduce the possibility of frozen pipes, invest in some pipe insulation and make sure all external pipes are protected. Don’t forget that there might be pipes in your attic, garage or crawl spaces too.

2. Fix home plumbing leaks now

Now is the time to fix any little plumbing leaks before they become bigger problems. Check all of the taps in your kitchen, bathrooms and particularly any external taps for drips and puddles and get them sorted out.

3. Put the outdoor hose away

Disconnect, drain and neatly put away your garden hose. A hose left connected outside in winter could freeze and expand, freezing your tap and connecting pipes as well. It won’t take long to put your hose away, but it could save you from quite a hefty repair bill!

4. Condensation boiler pipe

If you have a condensation boiler, there is a pipe which funnels condensation away from the boiler which can freeze and cause the boiler to stall. This was a common problem during the Beast From the East of 2018, but fortunately it’s a fairly easy fix. Pour hot (not boiling) water over the length of the pipe until it is thawed.

5. Know where your stop tap is

If the worst comes to the worst and you do have a burst pipe, know where your stop tap is so that you can turn the water supply off quickly to minimise damage.

If you need any help with any plumbing or heating problems, give us a call!