Winter Weather Precautions

As temperatures being to drop, winter weather can bring a whole heap of problems when it comes to property maintenance!  Damage such as the escape of water from frozen pipes and other equipment can be extremely costly in repairs and disruption.  Steps can however be taken to prevent freezing:

• Ensure that all areas containing pipes and water storage tanks are heated and that the heating is thermostatically controlled to maintain a minimum temperature
• Fuel supplies and any associated equipment should be periodically tested and maintained
• Pipes should be lagged to delay the temperature drop
• Tanks should be lagged around and over, but not underneath so that heat from below can rise
• Minimise pipe runs outside or in areas exposed to winds
• Wet pipe sprinkler systems should be avoided where the temperature cannot be kept above 4 degrees C
• Drain all equipment that carries water or is susceptible to freezing in all vacant areas
• Consider draining the water system if the property will be unoccupied for a prolonged period

In order to minimise damage should the worst occur the following actions could be taken:

• Know the location of all stopcocks inside the premises as well as the main incoming valve in the street and ensure tenants have this information
• If there is a sprinkler system, someone should be responsible for its water supply and pump room.  Ensure buildings are inspected to identify frozen or leaking pipes at an early stage
• Responsible staff and tenants should now how to thaw pipes safely:
• Isolate the pipe by closing the stopcock on the feed from the tank or main
• Expect a thawed pipe to leak water, so protect items beneath it
• Use hot water bottles or a hair dryer to thaw the pipe