Preventative Plumbing for Winter in Northamptonshire

Winters can be harsh, even in the landlocked counties such as Northamptonshire, and the temperatures can often get to well below freezing point, which can cause numerous potential plumbing issues.

When it comes to keeping your pipes in good working order and preventing burst pipes (and those dreaded repair costs) due to cold weather, winterising your home’s plumbing is the way to go. This means taking steps to protect your plumbing from the winter weather, before the colder months come. Here are some top tips for caring for your plumbing this winter.

Check Your Pipes For Leaks

It's important to have a look at your pipes and check for any possible leaks. This is particularly important during the winter months, when even a small amount of water could potentially freeze and burst the pipes.

If you notice any signs of a leak, get it fixed right away. You may want to even consider having a professional check for leaks in places that are more difficult to get to (for example, the attic).

Insulate Pipes In Unheated Areas

Insulating the pipes will help to prevent them from freezing. Using heat tape or pipe insulation, wrap all exposed pipes in any unheated areas of your home.

Keep in mind pipes that run through unheated areas, such as crawl spaces, attics, and garages, as these are particularly susceptible to freezing. Insulating these pipes with pipe sleeves or foam insulation is essential to prevent heat loss and keep them protected from the cold (don't forget the pipes under the sinks or in the cupboards).

Open Cupboard Doors

This nicely leads on to the next tip - wherever you have exposed pipes in your home, in areas like the bathroom or kitchen, open up your cupboards, especially those located in exterior walls, to allow warm air to insulate them and prevent them from freezing over.

As you've guessed, the biggest problem you'll face is the possibility of pipes freezing and bursting during the colder months, so make sure you're doing what you can to keep the pipes in your home warm.

Seal Air Leaks and Gaps

Seal air leaks around windows, doors, and electrical outlets to prevent drafts and cold air from reaching your pipes. This will help maintain a consistent temperature around your plumbing system.

Prepare Any Outdoor Taps and Hoses

Make sure to turn off any outdoor taps and don’t forget to drain water from the hoses to prevent water from freezing inside them and causing them to burst.

You can then safely store hoses inside your home, shed or garage until they are needed again.

Keep Your Home Warm At All Times

During the winter months, ensure that you keep your thermostat set to a temperature above freezing, to ensure that he home always has at least an ambient temperature at which no pipes will freeze.

Even if you are going away on holiday during the winter or you're visiting your family for a week or two, keep the heating on (put it on a timer so it kicks in at the same times each day). Just so it keeps the house warm at all times during the colder time of year.

Know The Location Of Your Water Shut-Off Valve

In case of a plumbing emergency, it's essential to know where your water shut-off valve is located so you can quickly turn off the water supply to prevent further damage.

This is often a tap located under the kitchen sink, but can also be located in other places in older houses, so it's worth getting familiar with the location of this tap.

Schedule Regular Plumbing Maintenance

Regular plumbing maintenance, including boiler servicing, both cold and heating pipe inspections and power flushing, can help identify potential problems early on and prevent them from turning into major issues.

There may be small cracks or leaks in the system that have gone unnoticed or unattended, but the increased use during winter combined with the more extreme fluctuations in temperature can accentuate these, and turn an annoyance into a plumbing emergency!

Assett Plumbing - Your Local Winter Plumbing Partner

At Assett Plumbing, we understand the importance of keeping your home's plumbing system in top condition throughout the winter.

Our experienced and qualified plumbers, are based locally across the county, are all gas safe registered, and can provide a comprehensive range of services to prepare your home for the cold weather, including:

• Pipe Insulation: We can insulate exposed pipes to prevent freezing and ensure your plumbing system remains functional throughout the winter.
• Outdoor Tap Replacement or Repair: We can drain and repair or replace your outdoor taps and any associated pipework to prevent them from bursting due to freezing temperatures, or repair any damage that has already occurred.
• Leak Detection and Repair: We can identify and repair any leaks in your plumbing system to prevent water damage and costly repairs.
• Emergency Plumbing Services: Of course, we are always available to respond to any plumbing emergencies that may arise during the winter months.
• Landlord Plumbing Services: If you own one or more properties, and need heating, landlord gas safety checks or pipework looked over, or annual boiler servicing, then give us a call to get our engineers booked in for a time to suit you or your tenants.

Assett Plumbing have been local plumbers across Northamptonshire, Huntingdon and beyond for over 30 years, and are privileged to provide exceptional plumbing and emergency services to the local homes and businesses in the area.

No plumbing job is too big or too small, whether it's a frozen pipes, a dripping tap, a running toilet, boiler replacements and heating repairs or simply an annual boiler service, we are always happy to help.

For all your plumbing needs Contact Assett Plumbing today on 01604 372395.