How to stop pipes freezing in cold weather

Yorkshire Water looks after its network of pipes and assets, but pipes on private property belong to the owner and are their responsibility to look after.

Yorkshire Water advises its customers to lag any vulnerable pipes on their property – this means wrapping them in foam insulation to protect them from the cold weather.

Emily Brady from Yorkshire Water said: “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. This will also help insulate your hot water system and could save you money on bills. You can also protect your outdoor taps with a tap cover to stop them freezing.”

Lagging pipes is a preventative measure, but if a pipe does freeze or burst – Emily explained:

“If you turn your tap on to find no water, you might have a frozen pipe. First, check all exposed pipes for any leaks or bursts, if you can't see anything then turn the tap on at your kitchen sink and heat the pipe with a hairdryer. Never ever use a naked flame to defrost a pipe.”

“If a pipe has burst then turn your water off at the stop tap to minimise damage and water loss and find a trusted plumber via Water Safe.”

“For those customers worried about accessing their exposed pipes or meter, take a look at our Priority Services Register to see if we can help in any way.”

For more information on being winter ready, visit www.yorkshirewater.com