What to do if you have a burst or frozen pipe

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If you have no water and think the cause could be a frozen pipe carefully check the pipe and if you notice any signs of damage or splitting contact a local plumber. We recommend that you use a plumber that is an eligible member of an Approved Plumber/Contractor Scheme such as WaterSafe.

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What to do if your pipes freeze

  • Stop the supply of water by turning off the stop tap (this is usually under the sink).
  • Don’t switch on your boiler or immersion heater
  • Turn the tap on nearest to where you think the pipe has frozen to allow the water to flow when the pipe has thawed out.
  • Gently heat the frozen pipe with a hot water bottle or hot cloth working back toward the cold water tap.
  • If your pipes do freeze it is important to be gentle with them to try and prevent them from bursting. Do not use a naked flame or heat gun on the affected area as this will cause more damage to the pipes.

icosawater frozen water pipe

What to do if your pipes burst

If you are caught out by a burst pipe it is important to act quickly to try and minimise any damage.

  • Stop the supply of water by turning off the stop tap (this is usually under the sink) and open all the hot and cold taps in the house until they run dry.
  • Turn off your mains electricity supply. If the burst happens near any wires, sockets, lights or appliances do not touch them contact an electrician as the water may have caused damage.
  • Where possible you can try to apply a temporarily fix the burst pipe using a cloth or tape.Contact a local plumber. We recommend using plumber that is an eligible member of an Approved Plumber/Contractor Scheme such as WaterSafe

Find a WaterSafe Plumber 

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