- Lag all pipes in your loft space and anywhere else that might be prone to freezing.
- Insulate the top and sides of water tanks, however if you have a central heating header tank raised above the level of joists, don’t insulate them underneath as you will prevent warm air rising from rooms below helping to keep them warm.
- Open the loft trap door on cold days to let heat in.
- If you’re away for a while, at any time of year, we recommend that you switch off your water supply before going away to minimise the amount of water which can escape in the event of a leak. In our experience, often the most damaging escape of water cases we see are in properties that are unoccupied at the time the leak happens. However if you are going to be away for a while in winter, you could leave your central heating set to at least 10 degrees centigrade, to avoid freezing pipes.
- And with that in mind, make sure you know where your stopcock is and check it regularly so that you can turn it off easily in an emergency.
- Repair any dripping taps because if they freeze they’ll block the pipe. This will also help you save water every day.
You care about your home so you do all you can to protect it. Try the following best practice tips for caring for your pipes:
For peace of mind
- Keep the Home & Legacy claims helpline 0344 893 8360 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) and 0208 603 9849 (out of hours) in a handy place in case you do fall victim to a burst water pipe.
Home & Legacy Insurance Services Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Allianz Holdings plc and is registered in England number 3007252. Registered office: 57 Ladymead, Guildford, Surrey GU1 1DB. Home & Legacy Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register number is 307523. Please note that telephone calls may be recorded for training and/or monitoring purposes.