Winter checklist: stop your pipes freezing

Before the cold weather

• Lag pipes in the loft, the garage and outside. Foam lagging costs around £1 a metre, says Thames Water.
• Protect your outside tap with an insulated cover. If it has a valve indoors, turn that off and open the outside tap to drain it.
• Find your stopcock and check it turns.
• Fix dripping taps and toilets that won’t stop running.
• Bleed radiators that are cold at the top, so your heating works properly.
• Check your home insurance covers burst pipes.
• Keep a plumber’s number handy. We’re open 8am to 11pm, 7 days a week.

If you go away

Keep your heating on low while you’re away, so the pipes don’t get cold enough to freeze.

If a pipe freezes

1. Turn off your stopcock.
2. Open the tap the frozen pipe feeds, so water can escape as it thaws.
3. Thaw the pipe slowly with a wrapped hot water bottle or warm towels. Never use a naked flame.
4. Once it’s thawed, run a dry cloth along the pipe to check for leaks. If it’s leaking, call a plumber.

If a pipe bursts

1. Turn off your stopcock.
2. Turn off your heating, and open your taps to drain the system.
3. If water is near your electrics, switch them off at the mains.
4. Soak up what you can with towels.
5. Call your insurer, and a plumber.

Sources: Thames Water, frozen or burst pipes and Thames Water winter tips (checked October 2026).