Make sure you protect the water and waste water pipes in your business this winter as frozen pipes can lead to bursts and costly leaks.
Follow these helpful steps to ensure that your business doesn't suffer.
Heat
- Leave your heating on at a low temperature.
- Make sure heaters are well-maintained and working properly.
Insulate
- Check loft insulation is thick and in good condition.
- Invest in insulation for your water pipes.
Protect
- Have any leaks at taps or valves repaired.
- Fit draught excluders to your doors and windows.
- Use proper insulation to keep your water meter from freezing.
Landlords and factoring agents
You should also pay particular notice to any empty properties that you are responsible for. Check that there are no damaged pipes leaking water and costing you money. Unless necessary, you should make sure that any water supply is shut off to empty properties.
What should I do if a pipe freezes?
- Turn the water supply off at the stop valve immediately.
- Never attempt to thaw out frozen pipes by switching on your immersion heater or central heating boiler. Instead, check for any obvious bursts or sprung joints, then gently heat any frozen sections – a heated cloth wrapped round a pipe is ideal. Never apply a direct flame to a frozen pipe.
- Call a qualified plumber if you are in any doubt about what to do.
What should I do if a pipe bursts?
- Turn off your water at the stop valve immediately.
- Switch off your immersion heater and central heating boiler and then open all hot and cold taps to drain the system and minimise the damage. Let any solid fuel fires die down.
- Switch off your electricity supply at the main if there is a risk that water could come into contact with electrical wiring or fittings.
- Check with your neighbours that turning off the water has not affected their supply. A temporary repair can be made to a burst pipe by binding it tightly with a cloth, tape or using a pipe clamp. However, any burst pipe should be replaced as soon as possible by a qualified plumber.
- Contact us to let us know so that we can take it into consideration when calculating your bill.
