{"id":129,"date":"2024-01-17T11:30:50","date_gmt":"2024-01-17T11:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.schofields.ltd.uk\/?p=129"},"modified":"2024-01-17T14:43:34","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T14:43:34","slug":"prevent-frozen-pipes-and-bursts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.schofields.ltd.uk\/blog\/129\/prevent-frozen-pipes-and-bursts\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Avoid and Deal With Frozen or Burst Pipes"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 12<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

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Each year, extreme winter weather and blasts of Arctic air send temperatures plunging for prolonged periods across the UK. Subsequently, thousands of unoccupied holiday homes are exposed to the risk of burst pipes and major water damage which can be catastrophic and a major inconvenience for you and your guests.<\/p>\n

Below are some helpful tips to stop pipes from freezing, what to do if the pipes in your home freeze and how to minimise the damage in the unfortunate event of a burst pipe.<\/p>\n

The cost of burst pipes<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Escape of water damage is one of the most common types of home insurance claims in the UK. Even a small leak can cause a significant amount of damage to your holiday home and its contents.<\/p>\n

A burst pipe can flood an entire home, leading to collapsed ceilings, waterlogged carpets, damage to electrics, furniture and significant structural damage that can leave a property uninhabitable for months.<\/p>\n

According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), escape of water accounts for one in four domestic property claims, with insurers paying out \u00a31.8 million for it every day. The cost of an escape of water insurance claim averaged over \u00a39,000, however, \u00a3100,000+ repair bills for water damage to the building, contents and drying out are not uncommon.<\/p>\n

What causes frozen pipes and bursts<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

One of the biggest causes of burst pipes is cold weather. When temperatures drop below freezing for a sustained period the water in unprotected exposed pipes freezes and expands, leading to a build-up of pressure and subsequent rupture of the pipe. When the ice thaws the water floods out.<\/p>\n

The risk of burst pipe damage has increased recently as holiday home owners try to save money on high energy bills by turning their heating on less when the property is unoccupied.<\/p>\n

Although escape of water incidents peak in the winter months, they can occur all year round due to; corroding pipes in older properties, poor installation of pipes and fixtures, incorrectly plumbed-in appliances, radiator and boiler leaks.<\/p>\n

How to stop pipes from freezing in an empty holiday home<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019ve never suffered a burst pipe, then trust us, it\u2019s not an experience that you\u2019ll want to go through. As winter and sub-zero temperatures approach, safeguarding your holiday home’s pipes becomes crucial. Prevention is better than cure when it comes to burst pipes!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the years we have dealt with thousands of substantial burst pipe claims. Many of these could have been mitigated or prevented by following these simple tips to stop pipes freezing.<\/p>\n

Turn your water off<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

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If you are leaving your holiday cottage unoccupied then turn off the water supply at the main stopcock. In one day, the equivalent of 48 bathtubs full of water<\/a> (9600 litres) can escape from a burst pipe. This can be reduced significantly by simply turning the water off when you leave.<\/p>\n

Do you know where your stopcock is located?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Everyone should know where their stopcock is located as you don\u2019t want to be trying to locate it while your house is flooded with water gushing everywhere, and you have no idea how to stop it. It\u2019s usually located somewhere on the ground floor, typically under a sink, the stairs or near the gas meter.<\/p>\n

Test that you can turn the water off\/on a couple of times a year to minimise your stopcock \u2018seizing\u2019. It\u2019s essential that your property manager, cleaner and guests also have clear instructions on how to locate your stopcock in the event of an emergency.<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t turn off your water supply in an emergency using the internal stopcock, you may need to use the outside mains water stop valve. It is usually located near the boundary of your home\/driveway.<\/p>\n

Here is a useful video<\/a>\u00a0from Thames Water to help you locate yours.<\/p>\n

Most modern heating systems can still operate with the mains water turned off, so you can still heat your home. A qualified plumber should be able to give you advice about this.<\/p>\n

Leave the heating on to keep pipes from freezing<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

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One of the main causes of frozen pipes is inadequate heating or switching the heating off completely when your holiday home is empty during cold snaps. While turning the heating off will save money in terms of fuel bills, it\u2019s a false economy. Your home will be exposed to sub-zero temperatures and the devastating consequences of repairing significant damage should pipes burst.<\/p>\n

Keeping the heating on means that water in pipes will remain at a constant temperature and should not get cold enough to freeze. When your holiday home is empty during winter it is recommended to leave the heating permanently on (to maintain a minimum temperature of at least 10 degrees C) to keep pipes from freezing.<\/p>\n

Heating tips during sub-zero temperatures:<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Electric storage heaters
\n<\/span><\/strong>During sub-zero temperatures, some types of heating systems, such as storage heaters do not provide a continuous level of heat that is adequate to prevent pipes from freezing. By only having the heating on a timer, e.g. a couple of hours in the morning and evening, water in pipes can freeze as the property is not suitably heated.<\/p>\n

If you are not leaving the heating on to maintain a minimum temperature of at least 10 degrees C, then turning off the main stopcock is essential during freezing temperatures and when your holiday home is unoccupied during winter. This limits the amount of water that can escape should a pipe burst.<\/p>\n

Frost-stat\/guards<\/span>
\n<\/strong>Using the \u201cfrost\u201d setting (usually marked with a snowflake symbol) on your room\/radiator thermostats may not keep pipes from freezing. If the frost-stat or room\/radiator thermostats are set too low, then there is a risk that water pipes may already be frozen by the time the heating is triggered to come on. It is recommended to leave the heating permanently on to maintain a minimum temperature of 10 degrees C.<\/p>\n

Oil and LPG gas-fuelled heating systems<\/span>
\n<\/strong>If your boiler runs on oil or LPG gas, ensure that you have enough fuel to heat your holiday cottage over winter. You don\u2019t want to run out of fuel and find your supplier is unable to deliver due to severe winter weather. If you run out of oil, ensure that the water is turned off at the mains stopcock and the water system is drained down. This should help prevent pipes from freezing.<\/p>\n

Your heating oil supplier should also be able to tell you what additional precautions you should take during very cold weather to prevent oil gelling\/freezing and blockages.<\/p>\n

Ideally, you should have an alternative heating source as a backup should your primary heating fail.<\/p>\n

Drain down<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

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If you are leaving your holiday home unoccupied for a long period over winter or if your heating isn\u2019t capable of preventing frozen pipes, then drain down the heating system and shut off the water supply so that there isn\u2019t water in the pipes to freeze. Simply turning off the water is inadequate as there is still a lot of water in the pipes and tanks which can freeze and cause substantial damage if a burst occurs.<\/p>\n

Get advice from a qualified plumber or heating engineer on how to drain down the water and central heating system to remove the threat of water damage entirely.<\/p>\n

Also, flush toilets and put a healthy serving of salt down the toilet\/sink to prevent water freezing.<\/p>\n

Lag pipes and insulate<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Pipes in unheated areas, especially the loft, garage, cellar or those fixed to the inside of external walls are the primary cause of escape of water claims.<\/strong>\u00a0Pipes are often situated above insulation, leaving them exposed to freezing temperatures. Pipes should be appropriately lagged and insulated to stop them from getting cold to the point of freezing \u2013 the thinner the pipe the thicker the insulation should be.<\/p>\n

Protect\u00a0water tanks and cylinders<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

Although all new water storage tanks should be insulated, older ones will benefit from a hot water jacket. Don\u2019t place loft insulation directly under header tanks though, as this stops heat rising from the house below which warms the tank.<\/p>\n

Trace heating<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

If you live in an area where your pipes freeze regularly, a trace could be the solution.\u00a0Fitting additional trace heating (where a low voltage electrical cable with a frost thermostat is wrapped around a lagged pipe to warm it during cold weather) is one of the best ways to prevent exposed water pipes from freezing.<\/p>\n

Allow warm air to circulate in unheated areas<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

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Our claims data found that water leaking from exposed pipes in the loft was the cause of most burst pipe claims. Primarily caused by insufficient warm air circulating into the loft because the insulation below the pipes was so effective.<\/p>\n

In addition to lagging and insulating pipes, during freezing temperatures leave your loft hatch door open to allow the warmer air from your holiday cottage to circulate up and around the water tank and pipes. This may appear environmentally unfriendly and costly, but it might mean the difference between water cascading through the house and a dry one.<\/p>\n

It is also a good idea to leave cupboard doors under the kitchen sink and bathroom cabinets open so that warm air can circulate around pipes that are exposed to the cold or fixed to outside walls.<\/p>\n

Any areas that allow cold air into your property (especially in unheated parts of the property), for example around vents and pipes, should also be sealed.<\/p>\n

Service your boiler<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

With no heating in your holiday cottage, the pipes are more likely to freeze. Get your heating system\/boiler serviced annually (before winter) to help prevent boiler breakdowns during cold spells, to ensure it\u2019s running efficiently and is safe. Check that the thermostat is working correctly and ask your heating engineer about any benefits of adding antifreeze to your heating system.<\/p>\n

Prevent condensing boi<\/strong>lers from f<\/strong>reezi<\/strong>ng and breaking down<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

If you have a condensing type central heating boiler, take steps to prevent it from breaking down in freezing weather \u2013 just when you need heating the most. During very cold weather, the condensate pipe which removes steam and condensation from the boiler can freeze solid, causing the boiler to shut down.<\/p>\n

To stop your condensing pipe freezing:<\/p>\n

-insulate the pipe to protect it
\n-the shorter the amount of pipe outside, the better
\n-make the condensate waste pipe as large as possible with a vertical fall
\n-try to get a boiler with a syphon trap type of water release rather than a continual drip<\/p>\n

Get smart<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

There are several \u2018leak detection devices\u2019 available that turn off the water supply if it suspects a leak and sends a leak alert to your phone. Some devices analyse water consumption and recognise abnormal usage trends \u2013 providing an early warning of water leaks. These can be extremely useful in detecting leaks before they develop into a serious issue.<\/p>\n

You can also use a smart thermostat to remotely manage your heating during cold snaps and internal cameras to look for damage.<\/p>\n

Don’t forget outside taps<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

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Outside taps and associated pipework are always a problem in freezing weather. Ideally, if they are unused during winter then isolate the water supply to the outside tap with an internal shut-off valve. Also, protect outside taps and exposed pipes with insulation.<\/p>\n

Allow taps to drip\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Keep one or two taps dripping in freezing temperatures. This keeps water flowing through the system and should prevent water freezing and pipes splitting due to the build-up of pressure.<\/p>\n

R<\/strong>egular inspections<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Ensure regular inspections are carried out on taps, cold water tanks, pipework and appliances. Do not ignore signs of water leaks as they can cause major damage to a property if left untreated – carry out repairs immediately.<\/p>\n

Ask someone to <\/strong>check <\/strong><\/span>your holiday home<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The risk (and cost) of a claim multiplies greatly once a property becomes unoccupied as damage can go undiscovered for days or weeks. Ask a neighbour or your property manager to inspect your empty holiday home regularly during severe freezing temperatures.<\/p>\n

Early detection will help to minimise damage should your pipes freeze and burst as they begin to thaw. Also, any boiler or heating failures due to the power tripping can be identified, allowing you to take action.<\/p>\n

Have an action plan<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

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If you let out your holiday cottage, make sure you provide guests with information on how to turn off the water and who to contact if a leak is discovered (your plumber, housekeeper, agent, you etc.). Display this in your guest information folder and in a prominent position so it\u2019s easy to locate in the event of water gushing everywhere.<\/p>\n

Also, have a prominent notice displayed alongside your heating controls, instructing guests not to turn off the heating or turn thermostats below 10\u00b0c in the winter as this could invalidate your insurance.<\/p>\n

How to tell if your pipes are frozen<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

If you can see frost\/ice on a water pipe (or a bulge) or tap, they may be frozen. Not all pipes are visible, so if there\u2019s no water coming out of a tap, or only a slight trickle, and your toilets won\u2019t refill following a flush, that\u2019s a good sign that you may have a frozen pipe.<\/p>\n

If the heating fails, this may also be due to freezing pipes.<\/p>\n

What to do if you have a frozen pipe<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Icicles<\/p>\n

If despite taking precautions to minimise risk, the pipes in your holiday cottage do freeze, here\u2019s what you should do to try and prevent a burst. If in doubt, always consult a registered plumbing and heating engineer for assistance.<\/p>\n

How to thaw frozen pipes:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n