We’ve got some simple and cost-effective steps to help protect your home this winter.
With a small amount of effort, you can make a huge difference and enjoy a cosy winter at home without worrying about burst pipes caused by the cold.
Check out our top tips and advice on what to do if your pipes do burst or freeze below.
Steps to protect your home
1. Wrap up your pipes.
When water freezes and turns to ice, it expands which can cause pipes to burst. We recommend you cover all water pipes where possible, including the pipes outside your home, with a foam tube called lagging. You can order some from us for FREE here(opens in a new tab).*
It's also available from most DIY stores and is easy to fit. Just measure how much you need and cut with scissors to fit. Remember to use waterproof lagging for any outdoor pipes.
*Subject to availability
2. Bleed your radiators
Trapped air causes radiators to have cold spots, reducing how well they work. Release the air by bleeding your radiators. It’s simple to do yourself using a radiator key or a flat-headed screwdriver.
Slowly turn the radiator valve anti-clockwise until water starts dripping out (it's useful to have a cloth to hand to catch any dribbles!).
Putting reflective foil behind your radiators will reflect heat into the room, warming your home efficiently too.
3. Be prepared
Find your stop tap and test it works, as you may need to turn your water off quickly if your pipes freeze or burst. This is our guide on how to find your stop tap.
Most stop taps are under the kitchen sink or in the cupboard under your stairs. Write down the name and number of a qualified plumber so you can find it quickly in case you need it in an emergency. Here's a handy tag you can download(opens in a new tab) to place around your stop tap.
We can help find an approved plumber in your area.
4. Protect your outside tap
Once you’ve lagged your outdoor water pipes, don’t forget to protect your outside taps too. They’re also prone to freezing, which could lead to a burst.
You can get a tap jacket for your outside taps for FREE from us here.
Keeping your gutters clear will prevent water being clogged and freezing, which may lead to leaks in your roof, and disconnecting your garden hose will also ensure water cannot freeze in the hose pipe, bursting the hose or be forced back into your pipes, causing a leak.
5. Fix dripping taps
All water can freeze, so even a small drip could freeze and cause a burst.
A dripping tap might not also seem like much, but it could be wasting up to 5,500 litres of water a year!
Find an approved plumber here.
Customers with additional needs
We know steps such as these may seem simple to most, but for our customers with additional needs, especially if you have mobility issues, things are a little trickier. Perhaps you have a family member, friend or neighbour who could help you with some of these steps?
What to do if your pipes freeze or burst
Frozen pipes
If your pipes freeze, first and foremost turn off your water at your stop tap.
You can then very carefully thaw your pipes using warm towels or a hairdryer. Start at the top nearest to the tap and work your way down. Please remember never to use a naked flame or blow torch.
Burst pipes
If you have a burst, turn the water off at the stop tap. You may need to turn off the electricity if water runs near any electrical appliances.
Turn on all the taps to drain the system and put towels down to soak up as much water as possible.
Then call a qualified plumber.
Once it is repaired, don't forget to turn the taps off to avoid further flooding.
Here for you
Winter can be challenging for many, especially if you're elderly or have additional needs. Our Priority Services Register could help you, your family or your friends benefit from additional support from us so we can respond quickly to any particular needs.
We know talking about money can be tough, especially with the rising costs of living. If you're struggling to pay your bill, we have a range of schemes to help.
The best thing to do is get in touch and we'll do all we can to help you.
Leaks on our network
In colder months all pipes, including ours, are more prone to burst causing an increase in leaks. This is because the pipes contract and expand due to the cold, to the point that they burst. A freeze followed by a rapid thaw, like we saw in 2022, can also over-stress pipes, causing them to burst.
We take leaks seriously, which is why our teams work round the clock to find and repair leaks as quickly as they can. There is a rigorous process to fix leaks, and you can find out more about this here.
We also invest £40 million a year managing and reducing leaks and have 52 leak repair teams and 60 leak detection experts using innovative technologies.
We appreciate your help with reporting leaks you may see when out and about. For a guide on how to report leaks and tackle them in your home, as well as seasonal Met Office advice, please see the links below.
