Families told to keep taps dripping over the holidays

Families going away for the festive season are being advised on how to prevent their pipes from freezing over while they’re away.

Home and garden experts at Posh say leaving taps dripping and setting the thermostat on low can help avoid coming home to frozen and burst pipes.

During cold winters pipes can often freeze and burst due to harsh weather conditions especially if they’re in unheated areas of the home.

Fixing frozen pipes can set you back around £200* and leave you without water and heating while you await repairs.

Andy Ellis from Posh said: “Pipes freezing over is a problem a lot of people can face during the winter, especially with exterior pipes and those that are not near any source of heat.

“When we’re away from our homes, the chances of pipes freezing over are even more likely. This is because we’re not at home using the heating or running the water to keep them in use.

“The last thing you want after Christmas is to come home to this annoying and expensive problem, so it’s worth taking some precautions before you head away for the festivities.

“Setting your thermostat is an obvious solution and while you think you might be racking up the energy bill by doing this, you’re actually doing the opposite. Setting your thermostat on a low and consistent temperature can be more efficient and it will keep you home just warm enough to prevent pipes freezing.

“Other things you can do include insulating your water pipes before you go and leaving the faucets on with a very slow, slight drip to keep a flow of water through the pipes.”

How to prevent pipes freezing while you’re away:

1. Set your thermostat
Most of us have our thermostat set around 19°C and many turn them off when they’re away. This can damage your thermostat and use up more energy over time. Consider setting it between 12°C – 15°C while you’re away instead. This will prevent your pipes from freezing and will save energy.

2. Insulate pipes
Insulate pipes in your home that are in unheated areas such as attics and exterior walls. Pipe insulation will prevent them from freezing and even bursting in the cold weather. They can also help reduce heat loss, making your home more efficient in the long run.

3. Leave faucets dripping
If you’re only away for a couple of days, consider leaving the faucets dripping ever so slightly with cold water. Even this small movement of water through the pipes can prevent them from freezing. This may seem like a waste of water but a very slightly higher water bill will be cheaper than fixing burst and frozen pipes.

4. Ask a trusted neighbour
If you’re away for a longer period of time and don’t want to leave your faucets running, ask a trusted neighbour, family member or friend to pop in and quickly run the taps every couple of days.

5. Leave cabinets open
Cabinets can get cold if they’re on an exterior wall that’s not well insulated. Leave kitchen and bathroom cabinets open while you’re away to allow warm airflow to reach the pipes.