🧊 Frozen pipes checklist

Prevention is the cheap half of this list. The second half is for the morning a tap stops running and a bill you'd rather not have.

19 items

1. Loft and outside pipes lagged before the cold arrivesFoam pipe insulation is cheap and takes an afternoon — far less than a burst pipe costs.
2. Stopcock location known and the tap testedKnow exactly where it is and check it turns before the morning you actually need it to.
3. Heating left on low overnight in cold snapsA steady low temperature through the night costs less than the burst pipe a switched-off system risks.
4. Loft hatch left slightly open in very cold weatherLets a bit of the house's warmth into the loft space where pipes are most exposed.
5. Outside taps insulated and disconnected for winterA hose left attached over winter is one of the most common places a pipe splits.
6. Cupboard doors under sinks left open on the coldest nightsLets warm room air reach pipes that are otherwise sealed away in an unheated cupboard.
7. Dripping taps left slightly running in a severe cold snapMoving water is slower to freeze than still water sitting in a pipe.
8. Insurance checked for what it actually coversEscape of water is usually covered, but check whether that includes the excess and any temporary accommodation.
9. First sign of a frozen pipe recognisedA tap that gives nothing on a cold morning, with the stopcock confirmed open — not a leak, a blockage of ice.
10. Stopcock turned off if a pipe has actually burstBefore anything else — the running water is the emergency, not the ice that caused it.
11. Taps opened to drain the system if a burst is suspectedReduces the pressure and the amount that escapes while help is on the way.
12. Electrics kept away from any waterSwitch off the supply to an affected area at the consumer unit rather than risk it.
13. Frozen section thawed gently, if it hasn't burst yet
14. Hot water bottle or warm towels wrapped around the pipe
15. Hairdryer on a low setting, moved along the pipe rather than held in one spot
16. Never a naked flame
17. Qualified plumber called for anything beyond a simple thawA pipe that's actually split needs a proper repair, not just warming back up.
18. Damage photographed before any repair or clean-up startsFor the insurance claim, in case the water's caused damage beyond the pipe itself.
19. Affected area dried out and checked for damp over the following weeksWater travels further than it looks, and damp shows up later than the leak itself.