So it's now turning cold and winter is beginning to set in after some mild and changeable weather. As a result professional plumbers are going to start getting those panicked calls from customers regarding frozen pipes leading to expensive floods and leaks, potentially ruining the house and its contents.
As any professional plumber will know, there are some obvious mistakes that people make when they are taking measures to protect their house to prevent these issues occuring, the most obvious being to turn your heating off if you go away as it makes sense when you’re going away to stay with family. The top tip we cover is:
Don’t turn the heating off and leave it on a low setting
This action in itself, could cause serious problems if the temperature drops too low as the pipes will freeze and could burst whilst you're away.
- You should leave the house warming to a minimum of 14 degrees centigrade. The only time you should leave your heating off is if you're away for a longer period of time.
- Consider turning the stop cock off or even draining the system altogether if away for long periods, but this needs to be carried out by a trained and qualified professional plumber or they could end up with further issues.
- Many households will have a combi boiler heating both the hot water and heating elements of the home so the danger here is that the pipes will have condensation within and cause the boiler to stop working. And remember, all pipes can freeze.
Pipes freeze whether they are plastic or copper
There are also stories abound that people with plastic pipes rate than the traditional copper pipes means that they won't freeze or burst. When it comes to this problem, the type of pipe is irrelevant, it depends how much the pipe has to expand when the water within freezes.
- Insulation of pipes is key with all of this, so all pipes that are in areas where freezing is a risk suck loft spaces and garages.
- It's also imperative that any dripping or leaking pipes are dealt with as possible as this will increase the likelihood of the pipes or drains freezing.
- If in doubt turn the stop off and call professional plumber:
Turn the stop cock off and call a profesional plumber
If a pipe bursts or there appears to be a problem with a persistent drip or ‘weep’ then the stopcock should be turned off and any repairs should be completed by a qualified plumber.
- Alternatively a hairdryer, could be used to thaw out a frozen pipe but be careful not to use a high heat setting.
- Don’t be tempted to use a naked flame such as a lighter or even a blowtorch to thaw the pipe.
- Homeowners should make sure they know where the stopcock is situated and they should regularly make sure that the tap itself is serviceable.
Using the services of a professional plumber
There is a danger also that some plumbing work can be carried out by homeowners rather than hiring a professional plumber.
- The cost of hiring a plumber is an unwelcome expense to many but the mistakes made could mean they're paying a plumber more to fix a plumbing issue than was necessary than the first place, costing more time and money.
- To make sure the job is done right the first time, it is easier to simply call out a qualified plumber to avoid any costly mistakes.
- At Access Training our experts can offer you advice if you’re not sure about any training that may be required to carry out a task.
Advice from Access Training’s plumbing tutors
Our Tutors advice, thorough years of experience, is to:
- Always use a qualified plumber to ensure the job is done safely and most importantly carried out to UK building regulations.
- Nobody should undertake a task that they were not trained to rectify as possibly dangerous scenarios can result from the most simplistic looking tasks.
- A trained professional plumber, someone who has received the training, skill and knowledge and therefore holds professional plumbing qualifications, is the only way to deal with problems that arise.
At Access Training, we are always striving to provide people of all ages, young and old, with the professional level of training, knowledge and skills needed to carry out basic and complex tasks, safely and efficiently. For those looking to become skilled and qualified as a plumber, we will teach you what you need to know, allowing you the opportunity to turn basic DIY jobs into earnings and a career.
How we train:
To find out how to become professionally certified in a trade such as plumbing or to simply discuss the career options available to you, call us today.
Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.