How can I prevent or minimise the risk of burst pipes?
By undertaking the following steps you should be able to minimise the risk of suffering damage from burst pipes: – • ensure that all pipes are sufficiently insulated and lagged. Water tanks should be fitted with overflow pipes, which terminate at a place of safety outside of the building. • heating should be maintained within unoccupied buildings and thermostats should be set high enough to prevent freezing e.g. min. 5°C. • all stock should be kept 6” off the floor, preferably on pallets, and not in the basement of the building. This recommendation should be followed for buildings prone to flood anyway even if there is a nominal burst pipes risk. • any building, which is to be unoccupied for a significant length of time, should have the water system turned off and drained. • ensure there is a contingency plan in operation for sudden cold spells, including regular inspections.
