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Burst Pipes

Burst Pipes

As you may already know, no one wants a burst pipe. As emergencies may happen, it is good to put some thought into what you would do if you had a burst pipe in your home.

To Help Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing:

  • know where the internal stop/tap valve is (usually under the kitchen sink) and how to turn it off
  • keep the home as warm as possible even if you are out
  • lag pipes in exposed or draughty places
  • leave the trap door to roof space open to let warm air flow in during extreme weather conditions when there is the chance that un-lagged water tanks and pipes could freeze
  • see that taps are turned off properly

You Should:

  • avoid using an electric, gas or paraffin heater in the roof space.
  • become familiar with your water supply system and find the main stopcock which turns off the water supply to your property.

If You Have A Frozen Pipe:

  • put hot water bottles or a thick cloth soaked in hot water over the frozen pipe when defrosting. Start at the end of the pipe nearest the tap and work away from it.
  • don’t use a naked flame.

Burst Pipes:

  • turn off the main stopcock.
  • open all the cold taps to drain the system if the flow of water cannot be stopped.
  • if the burst is on a pipe from the storage tank, turn off the stop controller in the storage tank, turn on all hot taps to drain the system, allow the fire to burn out or turn the heating off until the burst pipe has been attended to by a plumber.

Tips To Avoid Problems In The Future:

  • Make sure you know where your stop tap is and check it is working.
  • If you are going away, leave your heating on and set the thermostat to 14 C.
  • Make sure all roof and vulnerable pipes are insulated and your boiler is serviced.
  • Make sure you have the name and telephone number of your nearest GreenLight qualified plumber to hand. Keep it by the boiler or stop tap.