Beat the winter blues

18th January 2016

BOURNEMOUTH Water is joining forces with WaterSafe to make sure customers know how to keep their homes safe from frozen and burst pipes this winter.

Research carried out by WaterSafe, the national accreditation scheme for plumbers, shows
nearly a quarter of households wouldn’t know how to turn the water off in their home if a pipe burst, a tap broke or there was a flooding crisis.

And more than half of households also don’t have an approved plumber’s number on a mobile phone or written down in a safe place to call if the worst happens.

Help is on hand however, as WaterSafe launches a new series of short films to help households find their way around their stop taps and protect their homes.

Colin Stainer, a WaterSafe-registered plumber, shares a wealth of tips in the films, which can be viewed on the WaterSafe website (www.watersafe.org.uk) or on the WaterSafe YouTube channel.

These include information on wrapping up homes and businesses for chillier temperatures; helping avoid frozen and burst pipes; and finding and turning off your stop tap.

The advice is timely, as the research also shows that only a quarter of homes insulate their water pipes and fix dripping taps before the winter chills set in. Less than half have their boiler serviced and less than a third leave their heating on low if they go away.

Bob Taylor, Managing Director of Bournemouth Water, said it is important customers protect their homes and pipework during the cold weather.

He added: “Frozen and burst pipes can cause flooding in our homes, but just a couple of simple steps can help reduce any damage if the worst does happen.

“Knowing where your stop tap is and how to work it can be vital in preventing an emergency from escalating by turning your water off quickly.”

Households can look up their nearest WaterSafe-accredited plumbing business using the postcode search on the WaterSafe website and keep their number somewhere safe in case of emergencies.

In conjunction with the Met Office and water companies in the UK, WaterSafe is an official partner of the Government’s Get Ready for Winter campaign.