Burst pipe

Whenever a pipe bursts you can guarantee that damage will occur, the amount of which will entirely depend on the actions taken and how quickly. The cost might not only be material, especially if water comes into contact with electricity. Below are some critical actions to take if you are faced with this scenario:

a). Isolate the main water stopcock, usually fitted under the sink in the kitchen. Try and reduce any flood danger.

b). Opening all your cold taps and flushing your toilet will drain the water out of the system quite quickly.

c). Turn off the central heating, including any immersion heater and any other heating systems. Turn on hot water taps to drain as with the cold.

d). If there is any chance at all of water contacting your electrical system, then isolate it at the consumer unit or main fuse box as fitted. O not go near any electrics when you are wet. A professional plumber like Hornsey Plumbers can help.

e). If you notice the leak quickly you can catch dripping water in buckets. However, if water has been leaking through for some time and the ceilings are bulging, rooms may not be safe to enter. If the ceiling is bulging and you’re confident that there is no danger, punch a small hole in it with a screwdriver to let the water drain.

f). If you’re at all unsure about fixing a burst pipe by yourself, call in an expert like a Hornsey Plumber to repair it correctly for you. Of course if you have the relevant insurance contact your provider as soon as possible.

Stop your pipes from freezing again.

a). Insulate your water supply pipes with the correct material.

b). Insulate your loft with fibre material.

c). Opening up the loft door will help to keep your loft warm on cold days by letting warm air rise from downstairs.

d). Turn off the water to your house and drain the pipes if you plan on going away for a while.

e). Deal with minor plumbing maintenance problems like dripping taps as these can freeze if the temperature drops and turn into major problems.


“