During particularly long cold spells the risk of burst or leaking pipes increases massively. December 2010 saw one of the coldest spells of bad weather on record, and as a result we at Bournemouth Drains found that a large number of homeowners and tenants faced with burst pipes in their homes or workplace. This can be very distressing, with water ruining household items and furniture or office equipment, and months of disruption having to have the property properly dried out. It’s especially stressful for families with young children. Over the Christmas period many of our customers were away and so didn’t know for days or even weeks whilst water was pouring through their home.

Burst pipes and leaks are complicated to fix as the problem could stem from a very awkward place. It’s not advisable that you try and make these repairs yourself. Call Bournemouth Drains as you will need expert advice and repairs to get life back to normal.

However, there are steps you can take to help prevent burst pipes in your home:

1. Properly insulate your water tank, pipes and your loft.

2. Try and let some warm air into your loft during cold spells.

3. If you are going away, try and get a friend or relative to check your property regularly and keep your heating on low to stop the pipes freezing up.

4. Make sure you find out where your stop tap is, as you may need to turn this off in an emergency.

5. Look into installing a modern boiler if you have a very old heating and hot water system, as this will turn on automatically if the temperature drops to a level that will cause your pipes to freeze.

6. Get a regular inspection to make sure your pipes are in good working order, Bournemouth Drains will be happy to come out and provide an assessment.