Cold weather water advice

We would like to help you ensure that the water pipes in your business premises are protected and checked to avoid bursts. Late winter, early spring can be a risky time for plumbing systems with rising temperatures thawing pipework, especially if closure or alternative working arrangements have left whole or parts of your premises unheated. Burst or leaking pipes can go unnoticed for a long time, costing money and causing damage.
If your business is not trading because of Covid-19 restrictions, then it may be prudent to check-out your premises on a regular basis to ensure you don’t have any leaks. Even if you have been open keeping an eye on your meter readings where it is safe to do so is a good habit to get into.
You can future proof your premises by utilising the following tips:

• Check your premises for any pipework leaks, particularly if your premises are temporarily closed. If you can access your water meter check the readings to make sure you are not using water when you believe all usage has stopped. If your meter is spinning when you cannot explain it you might have a leak.
• Heat your property – leave your heating on a very low setting or set it to activate automatically at various points during the day. Pipes are most at risk of freezing when very cold water is left unused
• Fit draught excluders or conduct a more comprehensive view of your building thermal efficiency
• Keep internal doors open to let warm air flow circulate through your buildings.
• Insulate your water tanks with tank-jackets
• Insulate pipes in any unheated area such as lofts, outbuildings and roofs.
• Fix any leaking or dripping external taps as this will increase the risk of freezing.
• Locate your stop-tap in the event that you do have a leak, so you will know where to turn it off in an emergency.
• Better still, if your property is not to be used for a lengthy period of time, turn-off your water and drain your system down.