With plunging temperatures and snowfall sparking chaos across the UK, money-saving guru Martin Lewis has urged all households to do one simple check that will come in handy if your pipes freeze over
The plunging temperatures and significant snowfall has resulted in absolute carnage in January, with more flurries expected in the mid-to-late week. If your home gets too cold, you’re at serious risk of frozen pipes – which can be costly to repair and wrecks havoc on your house. Money-saving guru Martin Lewis has warned that all households should therefore be aware were their stopcock is located.
A stopcock is your mains water tap, which should be turned off as soon as you notice a frozen pipe to stop it bursting and spilling water into the home. “In my house it’s under the kitchen sink, a very common place to find it,” Martin said in a 2012 blogpost that was updated last year. “Yet that’s the indoor valve, many homes also have an outdoor one… If your stopcock isn’t working, you may want to call a plumber now – before you have a problem.”
Despite being essential in a crisis, research from MyBuilder.com showed that nearly half of UK homeowners don’t know where their stopcock is. If you’re having trouble locating yours, look in the kitchen cupboard, downstairs bathroom or toilet, garage or utility room, cellar, or under the stairs.
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Turning the valve clockwise will close it, reducing or stopping the amount of water passing through your pipes. It may take a few minutes for the water to stop altogether. But make sure you turn it on and off slowly, and never use too much force. If you over tighten or use excessive force you may damage the stopcock.
“It’s also advisable to turn your water off at the stopcock if going away for a lengthy period, especially over the winter months as this will prevent any leaks or burst pipes,” explained Andy Simms of MyBuilder.com. If you spot a frozen pipe and turn your stopcock off, you should open all your taps to drain the system as quickly as possible (saving some water in a bucket, if you can, for flushing toilets and hand washing). When the water stops running, turn all the taps off. Call a WaterSafe plumber ASAP.
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