Winter will soon be upon us once more. With this in mind, here’s a few basic tips to avoid any unnecessary anguish this winter. Prepare for tomorrow by preparing today.
Winter is the busiest time of the year for any plumbing and heating engineer. We all know that having no hot water and heating is a big issue though it doesn’t strike home until you’re in that situation. I liken this to insurance; many people don’t want to pay for something they don’t think they will claim. If you asked someone who has made a claim they would say it’s one of the most important things they’ve ever done.
A little bit of money in the short term will save you a lot of money and disruption in the long term.
Avoid Frozen Pipes
If the water in your pipes freezes, it naturally turns to ice which causes the water to expand. This increases the pressure on your pipes which can often lead to splits and even joints to pull apart.
Have a quick once over of the pipes inside your home to make sure that they are insulated. You can often find pipes uninsulated in lofts, roofs, garages and so on. This is due to these areas not often being used so goes unnoticed. The same applies to double checking the pipes outside your home. If you do find some bare pipes then your local DIY store can help or alternatively, you can give a us a call and we can insulate them for you.
Make sure your boiler is serviced every 12 months. This ensures that your boiler is working correctly and efficiently along with detecting any defaults early. If your boiler stops working during cold snaps then pipes can easily freeze. It’s worth remembering that most boiler warranties become null and void if they aren’t serviced annually.
If you are going away on holiday then leave your heating on a low setting. If you are leaving the property empty for some considerable time then it’s worth turning the water supply off and asking us to come around and drain the system.
If the worst happens and a pipe does freeze then turn off the water supply coming into your home via the stop tap. Open the affected tap(s) to allow the water to escape as it thaws.
Burst Pipes
It’s always best to know where your stop tap is which is normally located under the sink. I often get calls from people in a panic. The best thing to do is fill your kettle and a pan with water, then turn off the water via the stop tap. Then open all your taps so the water can drain away quickly. This will minimise the damage caused and ultimately the cost incurred.