- Costly burst could leave homes without water or heating at coldest time of the year
- Research reveals that more than half of households in England and Wales admitted to not protecting their pipes.
- One in five water customers have no idea what to do if a pipe freezes in their home.
With winter
upon us, Mike Hedges is supporting a campaign reminding customers to protect
their pipes from the effects of freezing temperatures.
Mike Hedges
fully supports Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water’s ‘Wrap Up’ campaign which reminds
customers to make sure
water pipes in their homes and businesses are protected to avoid the disruption
and expense frozen pipes can cause.
Severe cold
weather, as we saw in the area back in March, can cause water pipes to freeze
and burst – leaving homes and businesses with no water, low pressure or even
flooding.
Frozen water
expands and can crack even the strongest pipe. You may not notice this
immediately, and only know you have a problem when the cracked pipe thaws and
water starts leaking from it. Urgent and expensive repairs are then needed to
fix the problem.
Customers
can protect their pipes with inexpensive insulation or lagging kits, which are
available from local homeware or DIY stores.
Businesses,
schools and buildings like community centres or chapels are particularly
vulnerable to burst pipes during the winter. This is because they are often
empty for days, meaning a burst pipe – inside or outside the building – can go
unnoticed and cause huge volumes of water to leak and flood.
When a problem occurs on pipes in homes it is the responsibility of the
homeowner or landlord – therefore it’s worth taking time to check they are well
insulated.
Mike Hedges
said: “Frozen pipes which burst can cause unnecessary inconvenience and
expense, which is distressing, however this can be easily avoided by
taking a few moments to check and protect the pipes.”
“I’m pleased
join Welsh Water in reminding people living in Swansea to take note of the
advice of the campaign and make sure they don’t get caught out by pipes
freezing in their homes or businesses this winter.”
Ian
Christie, Welsh Water’s Managing Director of Water Services said: “Over
the winter, our team will be working 24/7 to keep things flowing, but we also
need a little help from our customers, by making sure their homes and businesses are ready for
winter.
“So,
please take a minute to insulate any outdoor pipes or taps or taps in a cold
place like a loft or garage, fix any dripping taps, make sure you know where
your stop tap is, and keep the number of a qualified plumber handy in case the
worst happens. We’ve got lots of more advice and how-to videos on
dwrcymru.com/coldweather”.
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