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Winter Proofing

Irish Water: Amy A · 2016-01-11 13:13:15

When temperatures drop below zero, water supply to your home may be jeopardised by unprotected pipes and dripping taps freezing and cracking. Cracked pipes can then leak or burst when temperatures rise again, resulting in damage to your home which can be costly to repair so it’s a good idea to prepare your home for winter.…

11-01-2016 1:13pm

#1

Irish Water: Amy A

Closed Accounts Posts: 196 ✭✭

Join Date: September 2014

Posts: 182

When temperatures drop below zero, water supply to your home may be jeopardised by unprotected pipes and dripping taps freezing and cracking. Cracked pipes can then leak or burst when temperatures rise again, resulting in damage to your home which can be costly to repair so it’s a good idea to prepare your home for winter.

There are a number of ways to protect your home from the elements during the winter season:

1. Insulate water tanks and pipes
It’s important to make sure that the sides of the water tank in your home are wrapped in insulation and cover pipes with insulating material to protect them from winter’s colder temperatures.

2. Locate your inside stop valve
The inside stop valve can be used to turn off the water supply to your home and is usually located under the kitchen sink. Make sure you can reach this stop tap and that you can easily turn it off if a leak occurs.

3. Fix external dripping taps
We recommend you always fix any dripping taps, but pay particular attention to external dripping taps during the winter season, as water coming from them can freeze on the ground which could lead people to fall and hurt themselves.

4. Arrange a supply of fresh drinking water
It’s a good idea to have a separate supply of fresh drinking water available in your home in case a water pipe freezes or bursts in cold temperatures.

5. Ensure that the boiler in your home is serviced
Leaks from the boiler could freeze and result in a breakdown or costly repairs. It’s important that it’s serviced regularly by an accredited plumber, as the boiler is required to heat your home and needs to run efficiently to do so.

6. Leave your heating on a timer while away
If you are going away or your home is going to be unoccupied for a period of time, we recommend that you consider leaving your heating on a timer on a low-level setting. This step helps to warm the home and prevent pipes from freezing during colder weather.

7. Minimise draughts
Ensure any gaps under doors and around windows are covered or sealed. Cold air coming into your property from outside can cause pipes to freeze inside the home.

8. Circulate warm air
Consider opening doors to unheated areas of your home occasionally to allow warm air to circulate can prevent pipes and tanks from freezing in the cold weather.

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