December 2003

• Christmas list

Christmas check list

A white Christmas is unlikely for most of the country, but even so temperatures will be dropping over the next few weeks and this can lead to frozen pipes and leaks. It's bad enough to have a plumbing emergency at any time, but over the Christmas period when it would be extremely difficult to get a qualified plumber, it could turn into a nightmare. However, there are a few things you can do to help yourself. The Institute of Plumbing gives the following for frozen pipes and subsequent leaks:

• The first thing to do is to prevent water passing the point of the leak - turn off your stop valve (stopcock). If water cannot be controlled immediately, open all cold water taps so that the pipework and storage system drains quickly. Do not turn on hot taps. Turn off the central heating system and, if it uses a solid fuel boiler, allow the fire to die out. Switch off the electric immersion heater, then call your plumber.
• If a pipe freezes, turn off the mains water supply at the stop valve inside your home (if fitted) - these are often sited under the kitchen sink. If there isn't an internal valve, turn off the water at the external valve. If the frozen pipe runs from a storage cistern and is not controlled by a valve, check that it hasn't split. If it has, empty the cold water storage cistern either by opening the cold water taps and flushing the WC or by siphoning the water from the cistern with a garden hose, then call your plumber.
• If the pipe isn't split, thaw it out by applying hot water bottles or by careful use of an electric hair dryer. Don't try to thaw it too quickly as there may be splits in the pipe which are not immediately noticeable. Never use a naked flame to thaw a pipe. Always start thawing a pipe at the end nearest the tap. If any part of the hot water system is frozen, there could be a risk of explosion if the boiler (or other heat source) is kept alight, so ensure it is turned off, or for solid fuel systems, extinguish the fire. Be careful because although water may be flowing from taps, other parts of the system may still be frozen.

If you have been lucky enough to find a trustworthy, competent plumber in the past, they should be your first port of call. If you haven't, visit www.plumbers.org.uk for a list of Registered Plumbers in your area. Preventative measures like making sure pipes are lagged, could save a lot of heartache and expense. And remember, if you are going away for Christmas or New Year, leave the thermostat set low to help prevent pipes from freezing. Also check with your insurance company in case your policy has specific conditions imposed.

ENDS (485 WORDS)
December 2003
The Institute of Plumbing is the UK plumbing industry's professional body. It is a registered educational charity with around 11,800 members who are competent in plumbing via formal qualifications or extensive experience and abide by a Code of Professional Standards. For more information on this press release or the Institute of Plumbing, please contact Carol Cannavan on 01708 463114 (direct line), fax: 01708 448987, email: carolc@plumbers.org.uk.

• Christmas list