Home / Editor's Pick /

Tips at home: Don't let your pipes freeze this winter!

09:30
8 December 2022

Tips at home
Don't let your pipes freeze this winter!

frozen pipes

With the weather turning, it's a good idea to know how to reduce the risk of your pipes bursting or freezing over.

When temperatures fall sub-zero pipes can burst and cause massive damage to properties, and most commonly do below -6C. With temperatures expected to drop to such values in the coming days, it's important you know what to do.

Why do frozen pipes sometimes burst?

Water expands as it freezes, putting immense pressure on the pipes from the inside out. So to avoid that happening in your home this winter, take a read below.

Check out these tips

  • Use pipe insulation to cover indoor and outdoor pipes
  • Turn on taps in your home to help relieve the pressure on the system
  • Shut off and cover outdoor taps
  • Fix any leaky taps
  • Familiarise yourself with the stopcock, so you can stop water flow if you have to
  • Collect used cooking oil, grease, etc and dispose of in the bin rather than your sink
  • Turn off your taps altogether if you're going away
  • Always check for signs of a blockage

And lastly, be sure to keep an eye on the TemperatureRadar, so that you can prepare for the cold.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Weather radar showing clouds and showers over Algeria and Morocco. Next to it, a warning map with the rain area in Algeria marked. Surrounding regions mostly sunny and dry.
Thursday, 18 December 2025

Algeria affected

Rain in the desert
pinecones
Thursday, 11 December 2025

Winter helpers

How pine cones aid the weather forecast
Map of Europe showing low pressure over Russia and a strong cold air flow towards Eastern Europe. Significant drop in temperatures across large parts of the east.
Thursday, 11 December 2025

Frost and snowfall

Cold air intrusion in Eastern Europe
All weather news
This might also interest you
Mammatus clouds
Thursday, 21 August 2025

Unusual view

Mammatus clouds over Ireland
plit image showing a double rainbow over a rocky shoreline on the left and sheep grazing in a green field under stormy clouds on the right.
Sunday, 2 November 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mixed conditions on an unsettled week
Monday, 25 August 2025

Bank holiday outlook

Warm day turning gusty in places
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList