How to avoid burst pipes in your Cheadle home this Winter

As the winter months are now upon us and the holiday period approaches, have you thought how the cold weather might affect your home in Cheadle?  This can be useful for both home owners and tenants. Did you know that as the tenant, it is your responsibility to ensure you have taken appropriate preventative measures for some very common faults with boilers in the colder months as temperatures fluctuate very quickly and cold snaps and quick thaws can play havoc with boilers and pipework. 

A burst pipe can cause a huge amount of stress for both you and the landlord, especially if the emergency occurs outside our office hours, either at night, weekend or holiday period and make it much more challenging to source an emergency contractor and considerably more costly! 

Please remember that if the out of hours service is used and not deemed an emergency by the contractor – you will be responsible for the full cost of the repair and call out service. 

It is also essential that tenants have their own contents insurance as the landlords insurance will not cover tenants belongings. Homeowners also need to check the terms of their own home insurance at this time of year. 

There are several steps you can take to avoid burst pipes in your home during the winter:

Insulate your pipes 

Insulating your pipes can help prevent them from freezing, especially if they run through unheated areas of your home such as cellars, lofts or crawl spaces under floors. You can use foam pipe insulation, heating tape, or blankets to wrap your pipes.

Keep your home warm

Keeping your home warm during the winter can help prevent your pipes from freezing. Set your thermostat to at least 55°F (13°C) and keep all doors and windows closed to help maintain a consistent temperature in your home.

Let your faucets drip

Allowing a slow, steady stream of water to flow through your faucets/valves can help prevent your pipes from freezing. This is because the moving water is less likely to freeze than stagnant water.

Keep your garage door closed

If you have pipes running through your garage, be sure to keep the garage door closed to help keep the space warm.

Disconnect outdoor hoses 

If you have outdoor faucets/valves, be sure to disconnect your hoses and drain the water from them before the winter weather arrives. This will help prevent the water in the hoses from freezing and causing the faucets to burst.

Keep your pipes warm

If you have pipes located in unheated areas of your home, you can use heat lamps or portable space heaters to help keep them warm. Just be sure to follow all safety guidelines when using these devices.

By following these steps, you can help prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting during the winter months. However, with the extreme cold snap we experienced recently, even with the best will in the world it is possible you could experience a problem. Below are the guidelines set out by United Utilities for customers who experience a drop in boiler pressure or no water caused by freezing pipes in their home. After a cold snap and the weather thaws, this can cause leaks or bursts as a result of being frozen, so it is worth taking some precautions now to be prepared in case this happens to you. 

1.  As the temperature rises, check your pipes in any cold places such as your loft or the garage – can you spot any water dripping from the pipes? 

2.  Find the stop tap, which is often under the kitchen sink and turn it Clockwise to turn off the water. If it is not under the sink, you may need to refer to your inventory which should denote where it is located. 

3.  Turn of your heating, open all your taps and drain your system as quickly as possible to minimise any damage. 

4.  Ensure you have plenty of towels available to soak up any escaping water

5.  Check your home insurance to see if you are covered for leaks and bursts or call a plumber. 

6.  If you are struggling to find a plumber in your area, visit www.watersafe.org.uk

7.  If water has leaked near your electrics, switch them of at the mains until it is safe to switch them back on. 

8.  For more advice and help on frozen or burst pipes head to www.unitedutilities.com/winterwise

Please contact Patrick, Joe or Maurice on 0161 428 3663, e-mail sales@mkiea.co.uk or why not pop into our office on Cheadle High Street for a chat, should you have any concerns or need any help or advice on this subject on any other property related matter.