Call of the month: Dealing with frozen pipes

Much of the country has experienced freezing temperatures this week, with snow falling in some areas.

A landlord gave us a call recently to ask if there were preventative measures they could take, to avoid pipes freezing, and how to prepare for an emergency.

Our advice  

Frozen pipes are, needless to say, not on anyone’s wish list when the weather is cold. Burst pipes can also be an expensive issue to sort out. 

Thankfully, our adviser was able to talk our landlord through some advice he could give to his tenants.

The advice is also covered in our downloadable 'winter letter for tenants', which is available for members here.  

A tell-tale sign that pipes might have frozen is if the boiler has not turned on or there’s just a trickle of water coming from taps. Our adviser explained that a good way to prevent pipes from freezing is for tenants to ensure that a low heat is always maintained throughout the property.

This is really important if the property is going to be empty for more than 24 hours. It is also a good idea to check external pipes are adequately insulated. 

Tenants should also know the location of the stop taps in the property, in case of an emergency in which the water needs to be turned off. 

Practically, our adviser also explained that it is also a good idea to check the waste pipes and heating boiler overflow pipes for icing as this could prevent a boiler from working when it is most needed. 

Tenants should also be encouraged to report minor leaks and dripping taps however small, to nip any issues in the bud. 

Our adviser also explained that the NRLA Winter Letter also contains more detail on what to do in an emergency.

They also told the landlord that if they are planning to be away over the festive period or indeed away at other times in the year such as on a holiday, it’s a good idea to make sure tenants know, so they are clear who to contact in an emergency.