GOING AWAY OVER THE FESTIVE PERIOD?  DON’T RISK A BURST PIPE

If you’re planning to be away from home this winter, whether for a quick break visiting relatives or a holiday abroad, what steps should you take to avoid a burst pipe?  Sound advice comes from the Heating Helpline.

26 November 2012 – Hundreds of thousands of families will be away from home this winter, whether it’s a short break visiting friends or relatives over the festive period, or a holiday abroad on the slopes skiing, or some winter sun.  Such a break could easily coincide with a severe cold snap in the British Isles, so how can you make sure you don’t come home to a flooded house or flat caused by a burst pipe?  At the same time householders will be concerned about paying out for unnecessary energy consumption.  Here are some sensible tips from the Heating Helpline – the free advice service for homeowners and tenants operated by B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association.

• Don’t be tempted to turn off your heating altogether – cold weather can wreak havoc on water pipes so it’s best to keep your heating on low – around 10º C / 50º F.

• If you haven’t already got one, consider having a programmable thermostat fitted – these give you complete control over your heating and usually have a holiday setting – this means your heating can come back on to normal setting the day before you come home so you don’t return to a cold house.

• Make sure all water pipes in the loft are insulated with preformed insulation.

• Replace washers on dripping taps because if the taps freeze the pipe will become blocked.

• If you’re leaving house keys with a friend or neighbour make sure they know where your inside stop valve is and check that it is working.  They will need to get to it quickly if a pipe has burst.

• Leave the loft door open to let the heat from downstairs circulate.

• Insulate outside taps or turn them off at the stop tap or drain them before you go away.

• Fix any dripping taps or overflows.  A build-up of ice can cause a blockage.

The Heating Helpline provides consumers with free, impartial advice on every aspect of home heating.  For more information contact the Heating Helpline on 0800 840 4069 or visit their website: http://www.heatinghelpline.org.uk.

Ends

Issued on behalf of the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) by Next Step Marketing Ltd

Media enquiries to:  Heather Lambert.  Tel:  44(0)1256 472020;

Fax:  44(0)1256 471010; E-mail:  heather@nextstepmarketing.co.uk

Notes to editors

Since its formation in 1904, B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association (formerly the HVCA) has represented the interests of companies engaged in a wide range of building and engineering services including domestic heating and renewable technologies.

B&ES members are subject to regular, third-party inspection and assessment of their technical competence and commercial capability, carried out by an independent certification body at least every three years.

B&ES members who undertake gas installations are registered with Gas Safe – the gas safety watchdog body – and are also members of TrustMark, the Government-endorsed scheme designed to direct customers towards reliable tradespeople.

B&ES operates the Heating Helpline (http://www.heatinghelpline.org.uk) to provide consumers with free, impartial advice on every aspect of home heating.

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