How to Prepare Your Plumbing for Winter in Peterborough

Winter Plumbing — Don't Wait for a Burst Pipe

Every winter, Peterborough plumbers deal with a surge of emergency call-outs for frozen and burst pipes. Most of them are entirely preventable. Spending an hour preparing your home in autumn can save you hundreds — or thousands — in damage and repair costs when temperatures drop.

Here's what to do before winter arrives.

1. Know Where Your Stopcock Is

Your main stopcock is the single most important thing to locate before a pipe bursts. It's usually found under the kitchen sink, in the downstairs toilet, or where the water main enters the property near the front door. Turn it off and on now to make sure it moves — a seized stopcock is useless in an emergency. If yours is seized or difficult to operate, get it replaced before winter.

2. Insulate Exposed Pipes

Any pipes in unheated spaces — loft spaces, garages, outbuildings, or along external walls — are at risk of freezing when temperatures drop below zero. Foam lagging (pipe insulation) is inexpensive and available at any DIY store. Pay particular attention to the pipe leading to an outdoor tap, pipes in the loft near the cold water tank, and any pipework running through a garage or extension without heating.

3. Service Your Boiler Before You Need It

The worst time to discover your boiler isn't working is on the coldest day of the year, when every engineer in the area is fully booked. Book your annual boiler service in September or October — before the rush starts. A service will catch any issues before they become breakdowns, and our Gas Safe registered engineers will check the boiler is running safely and efficiently for the season ahead.

4. Check Your Heating Controls

Test your thermostat and programmer now rather than in December. Set the heating to come on and check every radiator gets warm. If any are slow to heat or have cold spots, they may need bleeding or the system may need a power flush. Smart thermostats like Nest or Hive make it easy to set a frost protection temperature that keeps the pipes safe even when you're away.

5. Protect Outdoor Taps

Outdoor tap pipes are particularly vulnerable to freezing. Fit an insulating cover over the tap, and turn off the outdoor supply using the isolation valve inside the house before the first frost. If you don't have an indoor isolation valve for your outdoor tap, it's a simple job — ask us to add one during your next visit.

6. Keep Some Heat On If You Go Away

If you're leaving the property for more than a few days during the winter — even overnight during a cold snap — keep the heating set to a minimum of 12–15°C. This is enough to prevent pipes from freezing without costing much to run. Turning the heating off completely when it's below zero is the single most common cause of burst pipes in empty properties.

7. Check Your Loft

Cold water storage tanks in loft spaces are particularly vulnerable. Make sure the tank has a properly fitting lid and that the loft hatch is insulated. Leaving the loft hatch slightly open in very cold weather allows warm air from the house to rise into the loft, which helps prevent freezing — though this isn't a substitute for properly insulated pipework.

What to Do If a Pipe Freezes

If you find a frozen pipe, turn off the water at the stopcock immediately. Gently warm the pipe using a hairdryer or hot water bottle — never an open flame. Work from the tap end back towards the frozen section. If the pipe has already cracked, you'll need an emergency plumber to repair it before you restore the water supply.

Need Help Getting Ready for Winter?

Our engineers carry out winter plumbing checks across Peterborough, covering boiler servicing, pipe insulation advice, and system testing. Book online or call us on 01234 567890 — and sort it before the cold weather catches you out.