Frozen Pipes

Frozen pipes can cause issues with heating and boilers when the cold weather arrives. It is actually one of the main causes of call outs when the temperature drops.

The main sign of a frozen pipe is if you turn a tap on during freezing weather and you find that little to no water comes out.

Thawing frozen pipes: step-by-step guide

Step one - prepare before temperatures drop

Check for any taps that continually drip. Even a small trickle can cause a frozen pipe when temperatures drop below freezing. You can report dripping taps through our portal, or contact us here.
Find out where your stop tap is – most are found under the kitchen sink – and understand how to turn it off. We've created a quick video to show you how:

Step two - how to thaw a frozen pipe

Turn off the water supply at the stop tap (see above video).
The Condensate discharge pipe usually freezes at the most exposed points outside your home, such as the open end of the pipe, at a bend or where there is a dip.
The pipe can be thawed in a number of ways; using a hot water bottle, microwaveable heat packs, pouring warm water onto the pipe or a hair dryer on the lowest setting.

It is important that you do not use boiling water. Please take care if your condensate discharge pipe is not easily reached from ground level. Be aware that if you are pouring water onto the pipe this can also quickly freeze on the ground, causing a slip hazard.
Once the frozen pipe has thawed, the boiler will need to be reset. Most boilers can be reset by holding in the reset button for 10 seconds and waiting for the boiler to re-fire.

Step three - if a pipe has burst

Turn off the water supply at the stop tap (see above video).
Turn on all your taps to reduce any flooding and soak up any water with towels.
Report it to us immediately.