Our homes have been more important than ever this year and we’ve all spent a lot more time in them. So, it’s easy to forget that our homes need looking after during cold winters.
Freezing temperatures can cause havoc with your pipes, potentially cutting off your water supply so it’s really important to lag your pipes and give your home some TLC to keep it warm and cosy, keep the brews coming and the heating ticking over.
How to get your home winter ready
Protect your pipes and taps
Check for pipes, taps, cisterns, tanks and water meters in unheated areas that might be exposed to the cold. When you’ve found them, cut a piece of lagging to size and clip it on. If you’ve got some cable ties handy, pop a couple on to keep it secure. Protect your outdoor taps with a tap cover to stop them freezing.
Keep it cosy
Heating a home is expensive, but so is a burst pipe. If you can, leave your heating on constantly at a low temperature so your pipes don’t freeze. If severe weather is forecast, set the heating to your usual level, day and night.
Find your stop tap
If your pipes freeze and burst, the first thing you’ll need to do is shut off the stop tap. It’s worth checking where your stop tap is now so you’re prepared if the worst happens. They’re usually found under your kitchen sink.
See how it's done
Our handy how to videos will walk you through everything you need to do.
How we're helping you have a stress-free winter
Looking for leaks
We’re investing in new technologies to help us detect leaks quicker and our dedicated team of leakage inspectors are very busy maintaining network and preventing water supply disruptions. During the winter, underground pipes are more likely to leak or burst because sub-zero temperatures cause them to contract and thaw, so they're extra busy!
Extra help when you need it
We want to make sure everyone is happy and safe. We know that sometimes our customers have additional needs or need a bit of extra help. There are lots of things we can do - we can make bills and meters more accessible, provide bottled water if your supply is interrupted and protect you from bogus callers - just tell us what you need.
Help to pay your bill
Whether you’re running a hot bath, cooking a hearty meal or making a brew to warm you through, we all rely on water at this time of year to keep us nice and toasty. We want all our customers to be able to use what they need, without worrying about paying their water bills. If you are struggling, please get in touch or apply for one of our schemes.
Who to call
If the worst does happen this winter, here are some people who can help.
Local trusted plumbers
If one of your pipes does bust, make sure you're in safe hands by calling an approved plumber. You can find a local one on the WaterSafe website.
HomeServe
For peace of mind, you might want to think about emergency home cover. HomeServe have a range of policies and if something did go wrong, one of their approved engineers will sort it.
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