The 94p item that helps stop pipes freezing and the heating trick to avoid it
BURST pipes in your home are a major risk over the colder months – and could set you back a whopping £17,000.
And with parts of the UK grappling with snow, ice and freezing temperatures, now could be the time to protect your home.
The Sun has spoken to two plumbers about what you can do – including the 94p product that can save your pipes, and the perfect temperature to keep your home heated at.
Sunny Solanky, who works for British Gas, says the impact of burst pipes can “vary massively” – but in a worst-case scenario, you could end up damaging your whole home.
You’re more likely to experience burst pipes over the winter as the dip in temperature can freeze the water inside them, causing them to expand and split from the pressure.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said insurers settled roughly 12,000 weather-related claims for burst pipes in 2023.
The average claim for this type of incident was over £17,000.
Sunny says the worst damage he ever saw happened when a pipe burst in a family’s loft while they were on holiday.
The pipe then flooded the home, collapsing two ceilings and forcing the family to live in a hotel for months.
If you want to avoid a similar situation, the expert plumber says the first thing to do is buy lagging for your pipes – which essentially means adding insulation to the water pipes around your home.
You should start with the coldest parts of your home, usually the outside and the loft, as these are the areas where pipes are most likely to burst.
Lagging can be bought “fairly cheaply” from most DIY stores, Sunny says.
Screwfix sells Essentials Economy Pipe Insulation for as little as 94p per metre.
Reviewers on its website say the lagging “does the job” and is “great value for money”.
A pack of 64 of the same product costs £59.98.
B&Q sells Climaflex Polyethylene Pipe lagging for £1.97 per metre, and reviewers also say they “recommend”.
At Wickes, you can get Pipe Insulation for £1.40 per metre.
If you’re planning to install the insulation yourself, Sunny says you should check the size of the pipe first to make sure you’re buying the right thing.
He recommends using cable ties to hold the lagging in place.
How to install insulation on water pipes
If you're planning to install lagging on the water pipes in your loft yourself, here's what you need to know.
You will need to measure the size of your pipes first to make sure you buy the right sized tubing.
Measure and note the diameter (width) of the visible length of pipe, as well as the length.
Most insulation fits three sizes of diameter – 15, 22 or 28mm. You will usually be able to buy lagging in lengths of 1m or 2m.
Once you’ve bought your insulation, you should open the length along the pre-marked split.
If you have pipes coming up through the loft floor or running along the joists, fold back the loft insulation, fit the pipe tube and then put the insulation back in place.
Continue insulating the whole length of the pipe run.
When you get to a bend in the pipe, cut it so there is a close and tight join. You should place the length of the pipe insulation in a mitre box and cut a 45-degree angle with a tenon saw.
Push the two cut lengths as close together as possible and tape the join using duct tape.
Continue to lag all the pipes until they’re fully insulated.
Other products you can buy include outside tap covers and an insulating jacket for your water tank.
B&Q sells a Outside Tap Cover Winter Frost Jacket Insulation Garden Tap Thermal Protector for £4.99.
At Screwfix, you can get the Essentials Outside Tap Cover for £7.99 or the Essentials Four-Panel Hot Water Cylinder Jacket for £22.98.
It’s also worth noting that some companies such as British Gas offer frost protection for pipes.
If the worst happens and one of your pipes does freeze or burst, you should know where the stop tap is so you can shut off the water and prevent further damage.
What else can you do to keep your home warm?
Keeping your home warm is another key to preventing your pipes from freezing.
Sunny recommends never turning your heating off fully, even if you’re not at home.
British Gas suggests keeping your thermostat at 7C, although you can put it higher if you would like.
Scott Hunter, who runs Hunter Heating Solutions and is a Checkatrade Plumbing Expert, says another important thing to do is get your boiler and radiators checked.
An expert should be able to tell you if your boiler is “operating correctly” and if your radiators are “heating up as much as they possibly can”.
Scott says insulation is also a “major factor” in keeping your home warm, although it can be costly upfront.
You should consider insulation for underneath your floorboards, in your external walls and cavity insulation, he says.
A cheaper option could be to buy draught excluders for your doors and windows.
Habitat is selling a Velour Draught Excluder for £7.50, down from £10.
Dunelm has a Chenille Draught Excluder for just £5.60, down from £8.
Another tip that not everyone is aware of, Sunny says, is to open your loft hatch.
This can allow the heat from your home to move up into the loft and prevent the pipes in your loft from freezing.
5 ways to keep your house warm in winter
Property expert Joshua Houston shared his tips.
1. Curtains
“Windows are a common place for the outside cold to get into your home, this is because of small gaps that can let in air so always close your curtains as soon as it gets dark,” he said.
This simple method gives you an extra layer of warmth as it can provide a kind of “insulation” between your window and curtain.
2. Rugs
“Your floor is another area of your home where heat can be lost and can make your home feel chilly,” he continued. “You might notice on cold days, that your floor is not nice to walk on due to it freezing your feet.
“Add rugs to areas that don’t already have a carpet, this provides a layer of insulation between your bare floor and the room above.”
3. Check your insulation
Check your pipes, loft space, crawlspaces and underneath floorboards.
“Loose-fill insulation is very good for this, and is a more affordable type of insulation, with a big bag being able to be picked up for around £30,” Joshua explained.
4. Keep your internal doors closed
“Household members often gather in one room in the evening, and this is usually either the kitchen or living room,” Joshua said.
“This means you only have to heat a small area of your home, and closing the doors keeps the heat in and the cold out.”
5. Block drafts
Don’t forget to check cat flaps, chimneys and letterboxes, as they can let in cold air if they aren’t secure.