Fail to prepare, prepare to fail we always say, and the same goes for your pipes. With a little bit of prep, you could save yourself the headache of frozen pipes this winter.
As the colder months set in, when water expands as it freezes, your pipes pressurise from the inside out. The water inside is becoming too much for the tight space inside the pipes and can often bust through if the pipe is weakened or aged.
The good news is that with a few simple precautions, this is often preventable. If you don’t know where to start do not worry, the BFS team have produced the ultimate guide to ensure there are no frozen or cracked pipes this winter.
Encourage Warm Air Flow and Shut Out the Cold
If your pipes are in isolated parts of the house like cupboards and attics, open the door and let the warmer air circulate around your pipes to keep them from freezing. We know that many of us are trying to save on our energy bills, but it is important not to let your house get too cold. We recommend at least 7°C to keep your pipes from freezing. Maybe invest in a smart thermostat to keep you house at a constant even when you’re not home.
Turn off the water if you’re going away
Many of us take time away from our homes to visit family and friends during the festive period, we recommend turning off your water at the stopcock if you’re leaving for more than a few days. You may also feel like draining the water out of your pipes completely to save them freezing whilst your gone. That way you don’t have to keep your house heated whilst you’re away.
Insulate
Insulating your pipes and keeping your water tanks warm are imperative to combatting cracks. You can buy inexpensive pipe lagging and tank jackets from most DIY stores and fit them yourself for free. Just make sure you check the pipe and tank measurements first! Make sure to focus on your outside pipework (such as heating drainpipes, overflow pipes, and outside taps), the colder areas of your home (lofts, garages, basements/cellars) and water tanks.
Have Your Boiler Serviced
First and foremost, make sure your heating system is operating effectively. If not, there could be some cold spots in your system which could be prone to freezing. It’s always best to get your boiler serviced in the warmer months to get ahead of the problem but it’ better late than never and BFS are here to help. Get in touch with our team today to book in your boiler service.