Are Your Pipes Ready for a Freeze?

As the temperature begins to creep down to the minus, and the frosty hours grow close, it’s crucial to check whether your home is ready for the upcoming winter snap.

While many of us are shopping for heated blankets and digging out the draught excluders, there is a part of the home that is too often overlooked - your plumbing. Frozen pipes are more than just a minor inconvenience, and it’s not uncommon for this to cause burst pipes, severe water damage and thousands of pounds worth of repair costs.

Each and every winter, homes all across Britain face the consequences of unprepared plumbing during the cold winter months. Whether this is through split outdoor taps, ruptured central heating pipes or frozen pipes, the result of any of these is usually costly bills.

However, the good news is that preparing your pipes for the winter doesn't require much skill, knowledge or even money. By taking some simple steps now, you can save serious money, stress, and mess later in the season.

This guide will walk you through exactly why frozen pipes are such a risk, the damage they can cause, and, most importantly, what practical, affordable steps you can take to avoid a disaster.

We’ll also cover both indoor and outdoor plumbing, explain what to do if a pipe does freeze, and point you towards useful cost guides if you’re considering insulation or plumbing upgrades this winter.

Why Are Frozen Pipes Such a Big Problem?

When the water inside a pipe freezes, it doesn’t just lock in place; it expands. How many times have you put a bottle of water in the freezer, only to find that the bottle has bulged and split when you checked on it?

In the pipe, frozen and expanded water can cause too much pressure, causing the pipe to break, split or burst.

Once this ice thaws, the broken section of the pipe will leak. Sometimes, this leak is small, but usually this creates much larger problems like flooding entire rooms, damaging flooring, ruining plastering and walls, and even destroying electrical systems. What’s more, this damage can happen silently behind walls or ceilings, going unnoticed until it’s too late.

The most 'at-risk' pipes are those that are located in unheated, draughty, or poorly insulated parts of the house. This usually includes places like lofts, garages, basements, airing cupboards, and external walls.

Outdoor plumbing, including garden taps, hosepipes, and irrigation systems, is even more vulnerable, especially during prolonged periods of frost or snow.

Understanding which parts of your plumbing system are at risk is the first step towards protecting them, and potentially avoiding hundreds of pounds in repair and clean-up costs.

How to Prevent Your Pipes from Freezing

The best way to protect yourself, your home and your pipes this winter is to get ahead of the problem before it occurs. It’s far easier to prevent a pipe from freezing than it is to fix a broken pipe in the aftermath of a burst.

Thankfully, many of the most effective measures are inexpensive, DIY-friendly, and can be done in just a couple of hours.

One of the easiest and most effective ways of insulating your pipes is the application of pipe insulation, also known as lagging, which is available in all DIY stores and many online websites. Typically, it comes in the form of foam tubes that are easily cut and then slipped over the pipes in problem areas.

You should focus this insulation on outdoor pipes, or those in exposed or uninsulated areas. Don’t worry about the pipes in your living room, but certainly treat the ones in your loft, for example. Pipe lagging is particularly important for any pipework running along external walls, where the cold can penetrate more easily.

For homes that do have insulation issues, whether this is old insulation or just less effective insulation, you should consider tackling this larger problem. Proper loft insulation helps stabilise the temperature inside the home and protects pipework stored above the ceiling level.

If you’re unsure how much loft insulation you need or whether your existing insulation is sufficient, you can check out our detailed insulation cost guides to plan a budget-friendly upgrade  here.

Tackling the issues of draughts around your pipes is another simple yet crucial job to undertake. For those pipes located near windows, doors and air vents, they are more susceptible to freezing, even in an otherwise warm room.

First of all, check the seals around the window and door frames, and consider using draught excluder tape or sealant to close any gaps. Next, for internal doors that lead to colder spaces such as garages or conservatories, fit a thermal curtain or draught curtain, as this can make a noticeable difference.

Now, this may seem a little unconventional, but keeping your heating on at a low temperature, even when you’re out, can be crucial in preventing frozen pipes.

By turning your heating off entirely, you may feel like you will save money, but it does increase the likelihood of your pipes freezing, especially if this is overnight. Instead, try to keep your thermostat between 12°C and 15°C when you’re not in the home.

This is where using a smart thermostat can come in handy, as many models will allow you to not only change the temperature remotely, but also set alerts for when your home's temperature drops below a certain level.

During extremely cold weather, you can also leave interior doors open to allow warm air to circulate more freely around the house, particularly into rooms with vulnerable plumbing.

Another clever trick, especially in the coldest months, is to let certain taps drip just ever slightly in order to keep the water moving through the pipes, making them less likely to freeze in place.

Now, this isn’t a constant or heavy flow, just a gentle drip or trickle to release the pressure and keep the water moving slowly.

Finally, don't forget about your outdoor plumbing. Garden taps and hosepipe systems are often the first casualties of a freeze. Before winter sets in, disconnect and drain your garden hose, then store it indoors or in a shed.

Next, locate your external water shut-off valve, usually found near the main stopcock, and turn off the water supply to any outdoor taps. Once the supply is off, open the tap to drain any remaining water, and leave it open throughout the winter to prevent pressure build-up.

For added protection, you can fit an insulated tap cover or ‘tap jacket’, which helps prevent freezing on especially cold nights.

Indoor Pipe Protection: Beyond the Basics

While outdoor pipes are obviously the most vulnerable, your indoor plumbing isn’t immune to issues. As mentioned, pipework in draughty areas can freeze just as easily if not protected, especially in older homes with lesser insulation.

One easy trick to protect indoor plumbing is to open the cupboard doors under sinks in the kitchen or bathroom. This allows warm air to circulate around the pipes and reduces the likelihood of freezing.

If you have a water tank in the loft or garage, check whether it’s properly insulated, or look to employ an inexpensive tank jacket that can help maintain a stable temperature and prevent freezing during the night.

It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on little-used rooms or guest bathrooms during the winter. If water is left to sit in pipes for long periods without use, it can be more prone to freezing. Running the taps for a minute or two once or twice a week, and flushing any rarely used toilets, keeps the water moving and reduces the risk.

If your loft contains plumbing or water tanks, consider leaving the loft hatch slightly ajar on very cold nights to allow warm air to rise from the house below. This can help maintain a safer temperature in the loft and protect any exposed pipework or fittings from the cold.

What to Do if a Pipe Freezes

Even with all the precautions taken and preparation work done, sometimes the weather simply wins and pipes can freeze, especially during real cold snaps that hit extremes. The most important thing to do here is act quickly if you think you may have a frozen pipe.

The first sign of a frozen pipe is often the lack of water or a reduced flow from a tap. You might also notice strange smells from your plumbing or gurgling noises in the pipes, both signs that something may be blocked. In some cases, you may even see visible frost or ice forming on exposed sections of pipe.

The first thing to do here is to turn off the water supply at the mains to prevent any further water, and hence any further pressure, from building up in the already frozen and under duress pipe. Once the water is off, open the affected tap so that water can flow freely once it starts to thaw.

If you want to get the pipe moving again, you can gently warm it with a hairdryer or place a hot water bottle against it. However, you should never use a naked flame or blowtorch, as this can seriously damage the pipe and can be a true fire hazard with gas pipes usually nearby.

Start warming the pipe from the end closest to the tap and work back towards the frozen section. If the pipe begins to leak once thawed, turn off your home’s electricity in that area if it’s safe to do so and call a plumber immediately.

Dealing with frozen pipes can be a frustrating experience, but once the issue is resolved, take the opportunity to assess where your home’s defences might need strengthening. If one pipe has frozen, others may be at risk too.

Planning Ahead: Budgeting for Improvements

If you live in an older home, you may find that it is more prone to frozen pipe issues. If so, it may be a good time to start investing in some longer-term upgrades around the house. Of course, pipe insulation is the first place to start, as it can be done quickly and inexpensively.

However, if you’re not comfortable doing this work on your own, or you find some pipework too difficult to access easily, you may want to consider hiring a professional to do the work for you.

You can find out more about the costs associated with hiring a professional plumber in these cost guides.

Similarly, if your loft or walls need better insulation, we have plenty of guides covering the different materials and costs involved. Loft insulation, for example, typically costs between £300 and £500 for the average UK home and can pay for itself over time through lower heating bills and reduced energy waste.

You can check out more of these guides here to get a better idea of what the cost is, and what you can expect the work to look like: https://www.myjobquote.co.uk/costs 

Don't Get Caught Out by the Cold

Winter is a magical time full of festiveness, spending time with the family and enjoying a cosy home. However, it can be challenging on the infrastructure of your home, especially with extreme weather in the mix.

By insulating exposed pipes, checking for draughts, keeping your heating consistent, and paying attention to both indoor and outdoor plumbing, you can give your home the best possible chance of withstanding even the harshest frost.

And if a pipe does freeze, knowing how to act quickly and safely can prevent the situation from escalating.

If you're considering bigger upgrades, such as loft insulation or plumbing improvements, don't forget to check out MyJobQuote’s range of cost guides. They’ll help you plan your budget, compare your options, and find reliable local professionals to help get the job done.

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