Heating

Advice on boilers, radiators, central heating systems and keeping your home warm and energy efficient.

Frozen Pipes and How to Avoid Them

11th October 2018

For many of us, frozen pipes are something of bygone eras: most people probably remember school pipes freezing in “the old days” but haven’t spared much thought for pipes since. Frozen pipes are, without a doubt, a headache, but if your pipes freeze and burst, you could end up with a serious problem.

What’s more, frozen pipes are not unknown in the UK: in 2010, insurers dealt with thousands of frozen pipes claims averaging £7,000, with some in excess of £20,000. Things may not have been as cold since 2010, but with temperatures starting to drop, it will pay to learn a bit about how you can prevent your pipes from freezing.

Why do pipes freeze?

Pipes are most likely to freeze when they are not used for a while. Cold water sits in the pipes and, over a prolonged period (sometimes just a couple of days), the water cools and solidifies. As water turns to ice, it expands, and if full pipes freeze and expand, they could burst. Exposed pipes, for example, pipes and tanks in cold attic spaces, or external pipes are at particular risk of freezing, and aside from the inconvenience, they can cause huge amounts of damage to your fixtures, fittings and valuables.

Be prepared

Before the temperatures drop, check that you know where your stopcock is, and that you can turn the water on or off. Fix any dripping taps; now, they are just annoying, but if it gets freezing, they could cause your pipes to freeze. Also, check the lagging on pipes and tanks in loft spaces and any other areas that could be at risk.

Prepare an empty property

Empty properties are most likely to suffer from burst pipes as the water sits in the pipes without moving. If your property is going to be left empty for more than a couple of days, and you are expecting very cold weather, make sure that the heating comes on for at least an hour a day; in prolonged periods of cold weather, an hour or two morning and late evening is advisable. Consider leaving the access point (trap door or door) to your attic or loft open, to allow warm air from your heated home get into the loft space, to prevent vulnerable pipes and tanks from freezing. If possible, ask someone to check on your home once in a while, so that if your pipes do burst and you have a leak, it is detected sooner rather than later.

By following these tips, you should be able to prevent your pipes from freezing. If you want more help or advice, it may be worth contacting a plumber or boiler specialist. If your pipes do freeze, acting quickly could save you a lot of time and stress.

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Find clear, practical answers to common heating questions, helping homeowners understand everyday issues, know what checks they can carry out safely, and when it is best to contact a qualified professional.

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A combi heats water straight from the mains on demand - no cylinder needed, which makes it compact and ideal for smaller homes or flats. A system boiler works with a hot water cylinder, storing a ready supply that can serve multiple taps or showers at once without the pressure dropping - better for larger homes with more bathrooms. There's also the conventional boiler, which needs both a cylinder and a cold water tank in the loft - common in older properties. A heating engineer can help you figure out which suits your home best.
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Heat pumps pull warmth from the outside air (even when it's cold) and use it to heat your home and hot water. They work best in well-insulated homes, ideally with underfloor heating or larger radiators that work well at lower temperatures. In draughty or poorly insulated properties, the benefits are more limited. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme currently offers a grant of up to £7,500 towards installation, so it's worth getting a professional assessment to see whether your home is a good fit before committing.
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Once a year, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It keeps the boiler running safely, catches small issues before they become expensive, and is usually a condition of the manufacturer's warranty. Some home insurance policies require proof of regular servicing too. If you're not sure when yours was last done, book one before winter - better to find out before you're sitting in a cold house!
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This issue is almost always trapped air. Bleeding the radiator - using a radiator key to release the air - usually sorts it, and it's one of the few heating jobs you can safely do yourself. If bleeding it doesn't work, or if several radiators are having the same problem, it might be a pressure or pump issue. Worth getting a heating engineer in to have a look.
What are the signs my boiler needs replacing?

Keep an eye out for: frequent breakdowns, energy bills going up without using more heat, unusual noises (banging, kettling, or whistling), a flame that's yellow or orange instead of blue, and any visible leaks or rust around the unit. If your boiler is over fifteen years old and ticking any of those boxes, replacing it is usually the more economical choice - modern boilers are significantly more efficient.
Is underfloor heating worth it and do I need a professional to install it?

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Why does my boiler keep losing pressure?

Some pressure drop over time is normal, but if you're topping it up regularly there's usually a cause: a small leak in the system (which isn't always easy to spot), a pressure relief valve that's releasing water, or air in the system after bleeding radiators. Topping it up via the filling loop is fine as a short-term fix, but if you're doing it more than a couple of times a year, it's worth getting an engineer to look into why it keeps happening.

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