How to deal with frozen pipes
When water is inside your pipes, it can freeze and cause damage by expanding until the pipe can no longer stretch to contain it. If your pipes do freeze, you must defrost them slowly and carefully.
Take the following steps
- Do this first
Turn the water supply off at the inside stop valve (usually found under the kitchen sink) - Use a hairdryer at its lowest setting to thaw pipes. Thaw along the pipe starting from the end nearest the tap. Be very careful not to warm them too quickly as they may burst.
Steps you should not take
- Don't use a blow lamp, heat gun or any other naked flame
- Don't leave taps running or dripping. The water may not flush down the plug hole if the pipes below are frozen.
Use our Clickable house to locate your inside stop valve
Frozen supply pipes
We've been receiving reports of some customers' water supplies being cut off, particularly in rural areas. This can sometimes be caused by water freezing solid in the pipes which connect customers' properties to our supply mains. If you find yourself without water, please check with your next-door neighbours. If they've not got the same problem then it's likely your supply pipe has frozen, in which case you should consult a plumber.
If your neighbours also haven't got water, then the chances are it's a problem on our pipes, so let us know by calling us on 0845 9200 800. Our lines are open 24 hours a day, but please be patient with us - stay on the line and we will do our best to answer your call as quickly as we can.
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