Plumbing and maintenance
Frozen pipes: prevention and safe thawing
The short answer
Freezing happens in unheated voids, lofts, garages and outbuildings. The damage happens when the ice thaws and the split releases.
Before you commit
Thaw gently with warm cloths or a low heat source and never with a naked flame; open the nearest tap so melting water can escape.
Common questions
Should I turn the water off?
Yes, isolate at the stopcock so a split does not discharge when the ice thaws.
What about an empty property?
Drain down or maintain a low background heat; unheated empty houses are where the worst damage occurs.
What to check
- 1
Insulating pipework in cold voids and keeping a low background temperature during cold spells prevents most incidents.
- 2
Thaw gently with warm cloths or a low heat source and never with a naked flame; open the nearest tap so melting water can escape.
Ready to get the room measured up?
Photos of the existing room and the position of the soil stack help enormously before a visit.