Top tips:

• If you go away or leave your home for a few days, try to ensure your heating comes on at least once every day.
• Check that your loft insulation is thick and in good condition and run over the pipework where possible.
• Lag exposed pipes with felt or pipe-wrap. Tanks should also be lagged, but remember to leave a space beneath for warm air to circulate.
• Repair dripping taps and overflows. A build-up of ice can cause blockages.
• When it's very cold, leave the loft trapdoor open so warm air can circulate.
• Make sure you can turn off the inside stop valve in an emergency. It's usually under the kitchen sink.
• If the pipes freeze, turn water off at the stop valve and thaw pipes slowly using a hot water bottle or cloth soaked in hot water. Never use a blow lamp or heat gun.
• If the pipes burst, turn off the water and central heating systems before calling a plumber. You must get the house checked by a qualified electrician.
• Make sure any outside taps are tuned off. If you have tried to operate your outside tap (for example, to wash your car) and found it frozen, please double check that you've turned it off again - otherwise it will start running again when the water in the pipe thaws.
• Keep the name of a reliable plumber to hand.

• Use our Clickable house to locate your inside stop valve

• View our list of approved plumbers