Urgent warning for households to keep taps dripping over Christmas

An urgent warning has been issued for households throughout the UK to keep taps dripping over Christmas.

Home and garden experts at Posh.co.uk say leaving taps dripping and setting the thermostat on a low temperature can help avoid coming home to frozen and burst pipes.

During cold winters, pipes can often freeze and burst due to harsh weather conditions – especially if they’re in unheated areas of the home, potentially setting you back hundreds of pounds.

Andy Ellis from Posh.co.uk said: “When we’re away from our homes, the chances of pipes freezing over are even more likely. This is because we’re not at home using the heating or running the water to keep them in use.

“The last thing you want after Christmas is to come home to this annoying and expensive problem, so it’s worth taking some precautions before you head away for the festivities.

“Setting your thermostat is an obvious solution and while you think you might be racking up the energy bill by doing this, you’re actually doing the opposite.

“Setting your thermostat on a low and consistent temperature can be more efficient and it will keep you home just warm enough to prevent pipes freezing.

“Other things you can do include insulating your water pipes before you go and leaving the faucets on with a very slow, slight drip to keep a flow of water through the pipes.”

Set your thermostat

Most of us have our thermostat set around 19C and many turn them off when they’re away. This can damage your thermostat and use up more energy over time. Consider setting it between 12C and 15C while you’re away instead.

Insulate pipes

Insulate pipes in your home that are in unheated areas such as attics and exterior walls. Pipe insulation will prevent them from freezing and even bursting in the cold weather. They can also help reduce heat loss, making your home more efficient.

Leave faucets dripping

If you’re only away for a couple of days, consider leaving the faucets dripping ever so slightly with cold water. This may seem like a waste of water but a very slightly higher water bill will be cheaper than fixing burst and frozen pipes.

Ask a trusted neighbour

If you’re away for a longer period of time and don’t want to leave your faucets running, ask a trusted neighbour, family member or friend to pop in and quickly run the taps every couple of days.

Leave cabinets open

Cabinets can get cold if they’re on an exterior wall that’s not well insulated. Leave kitchen and bathroom cabinets open while you’re away to allow warm airflow to reach the pipes.