"By taking a few simple steps you can protect your home and avoid having a miserable and costly experience. If you have a burst pipe if could be left with no water and a hefty bill to repair the damage. Remember, all the pipework within your property boundary is your responsibility," said a spokesperson.
Avoid frozen pipes:
Insulate water tanks and lag pipes - lagging material is available from our online water efficiency shop or all good DIY stores.
Make sure there are no gaps in the lagging at bends, valves or fittings.
Pay special attention to water tanks and pipes in unheated areas like loft spaces and garages.
Fix dripping taps – even a small trickle can result in a frozen pipe.
Find your property’s internal stopcock and make sure you can turn it off. Most stopcocks are fitted under the kitchen sink and shut off by turning clockwise.
Minimise draughts from outside and close doors and windows to unheated parts of your property.
Leave the heating on low when you are away and get a friend or neighbour to check your property regularly.
If a property is going to be unoccupied for long periods, turn off the water at the stopcock and consider draining down the system so there is no water left in the pipes.