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Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes & How to Spot & Fix Them

November 07, 2022

Frozen pipes in your property can be a common issue in the winter months, bringing freezing and icy cold conditions. This can mean frozen pipes in your property if it isn’t prevented and if not found and treated, it can leave you with no water and cause the pipes to burst.

Here is our advice on preventing your pipes from freezing, as well as finding and fixing them if they do freeze.

Finding Frozen Pipes

Some signs that you might have frozen pipes are:

Visual ice, frost, cracks or condensation over piping is the most obvious sign
Reduced running water – if no water or a limited amount of water is coming from your taps, showers or anywhere that supplies water
Smells – strange smells may come from your taps and drains, which could be an indication of a frozen pipes
The boiler isn’t working – if this happens during cold months this may a common sign
Sounds – bubbling sound when flushing the toilet chain or whistling or banging sounds could be due to pipes being damaged from freezing
Damp – frozen pipes can cause leaks creating damp around surfaces of your property or puddles of water

Preventing Frozen Pipes

Checking and forming regular habits in the winter can be the difference between frozen pipes and no frozen pipes.

Water UK have shared their tips to prevent pipes from freezing:

Insulating lag pipes and water tanks using lagging material available from most DIY stores
Ensure there aren’t any gaps or bends in valves and pipes
Regularly check water pipes and tanks in unheated spaces or unoccupied properties, such as the loft or a garage
Your boiler should be serviced annually
By finding your property’s internal stopcock or valve you will know where to go if it needs shutting off if the pipes are frozen and are being fixed. (These can normally found under the kitchen sink)
If away for a long period of time, keep the heating on low and get a neighbour to check occasionally
If it will be unoccupied for a long amount of time, think about turning off the stopcock and draining all remaining water so that there is no water to freeze
Close outside windows and doors to unheated areas
Open the loft hatch if possible to allow warm air to circulate through
Fix any dripping or trickling taps as soon as possible

How to Fix A Frozen Pipe

While you should always call a professional to assess the situation and fix the issue, there are ways to fix your frozen pipes yourself and then call a professional.

Curing frozen pipes is done by simply thawing the affected areas.

Firstly, it is best to thaw pipes slowly to protect the pipes from damage, causing further issues.

The most effective way of thawing is by using heat. This shouldn’t be confused with using devices that can be extremely hot and dangerous. This includes, blowtorches or kerosene heaters. These can be a fire hazard and cause major damage to the pipes.

Instead, use electric heat pads to wrap around the pipes, using a hairdryer on a low heat or by using hot towels. However, these still need to be regularly monitored so that it is not causing any damage.

Leaving faucets open helps with the process of thawing. This is because water needs to be running through the pipes to help it thaw quicker. For pipes under the sink, the cabinet door should be left open to allow warm air to circulate.

If you suspect that the frozen pipe is somewhere that you cannot reach immediately, don’t attempt anything yourself. Call a professional such as CPL t/a Rainbow International on 0800 030 4360 to investigate the situation and advise on the best action to take.

We can help to find the leak using state-of-the-art technology, clean-up any water damage & fix the burst pipe. We also offer a range of building drying solutions to get your property back to pre-incident condition.

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