winter warmers: how to prevent burst or frozen pipes

In extremely cold weather you should leave your heating on a low setting, around 15°C, or have on a timer especially if you are going away. This will keep the system ticking over and prevent pipes from freezing – just remember to switch your settings back to normal when the weather improves.

You can also arrange to have your system drained – contact our repairs service for more information.

However, if you have a burst pipe:

1. Turn off water at the stoptap (usually in the kitchen or bathroom).
2. Turn all cold taps on to drain the system.
3. If water is going into or near electrical equipment, turn the electricity off at the consumer unit (the fuse box).
4. Put a bucket under the leak, wrap a cloth around the pipe, and fasten with tape.
5. Contact our repairs service.

And remember, for more winter warmers top tips follow us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #winterwarmers