The last thing that you want to face is a burst pipe. However, this can happen in the winter in the UK. If this happens to you, you need to act quickly. Therefore, call a plumber immediately. Whilst you are waiting for him or her to arrive, you need to take steps to combat any water damage.
You should never wonder what you should do if a pipe expands and bursts. You need to know where to go to turn off the water main. If you don’t know this information now, you should find out where the outlet is just to be on the safe side. Follow the steps below when faced with the problem as well.
- Besides turning off the water, turn off the electricity in your home. Water travels stealthily and quickly once it starts leaking from a pipe. Turn off the electricity in case any moisture or water gets near the sockets in your home.
- Local plumbers in Stafford advise homeowners to drain the cold water taps and flush the toilet several times after a pipe bursts. This will keep the remaining water from freezing and reduce the pressure in the pipes.
- Next, switch off the heat before draining the hot taps.
- Switch the heat back on to keep the other pipes warm.
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Preventing a Future Disaster
To prevent any burst pipes in the future, add insulation in your home and apply pipe sleeves or a heat tape to the pipes, especially the pipes beneath the sinks in your kitchen and bathroom. Also, if you see any signs of a leak, consider it an emergency. Contact a plumber to check the leak before it becomes worse.
