Posted by Ben Carey BA (Hons) on Tue, 2012-01-03 20:26
We are getting to the time of year now where not only does it get dark at 4 o’clock but the weather starts to become cold... very cold, in fact....freezing!
Over the last few weeks we have received calls from some tenants with boilers that have failed to re-ignite after our short English summer; heating systems that aren’t quite warming to required temperatures, and damp issues showing themselves. But one of the most damaging problems over the winter period are frozen pipes.
If the weather drops to a low enough temperature the water in your pipes can freeze; when the weather warms back up the frozen water defrosts then expands and can cause pipes to burst. A burst pipe is often much worse than a simple boiler breakdown due to the damage it can cause and the time it takes to find and then complete the required repair works.
The best way to stop frozen pipes turning into burst pipes is by preventing the pipes from freezing at all. The best way to do this is to ensure that during particularly cold periods you do not allow the heating within the property to drop below 12 degrees celsius. It is appreciated that this can cause higher gas and electricity costs; but the costs and trauma of a property flooding due to a burst pipe is much higher.
If you are away from home during the cold winter period it is still recommended to set your heating to come on a couple of times a day to warm through the water pipes; it is also recommended to inform your letting agent or let neighbours know that you are going to be away. A good letting agent should be happy to check on your property for you whilst you are away. Another recommendation is to try and keep any outdoor pipes empty during freezing weather; if you have shut off valves built into your pipe work you should be able to drain out the water and ensure there is no water able to freeze.
If you do find that you have a frozen pipe the best action to take is to try and defrost the pipe by gently warming it using a hot water bottle or hair dryer; opening the tap and making your way along. If you are not certain about what to do if you find a frozen pipe inform your letting agents straight away; also make sure you know where your stop tap is; if you do find a water pipe leaking you want to be able to minimise that amount of water able to escape.
Tenants have a responsibility to look after a property for the entirety of the tenancy agreement; the requirements of looking after the property change alongside the weather conditions. If we suffer a sudden cold snap and a burst pipe causes damage to a property the tenant cannot be held accountable; but if cold weather has been well forecast; as has been recently across the UK, tenants should be aware that they could be held liable for damages caused if appropriate precautions have not been completed.
Whilst we are well prepared for any eventuality; when it comes to frozen and burst water pipes during the winter, as the old phrase, set in snow, says ‘prevention is better than cure.’
Ben Carey BA (Hons)
Property Manager
Ben joined Alexandre Boyes in 2011 as Property Manager for our Lettings Department.
Ben graduated in Interior Architecture in 2007 from the University of Lincoln, proceeding to train and work within the Property Industry for a number of well-known Estate Agents in Lincolnshire before going on to establish and build one of Lincolns most successful Lettings Agents. He then decided to re-locate to Kent, where he was raised, in order to develop his career further.
