A guide on how to keep your business flowing this winter
Winter Is Coming …
Here at Brightwater we want to keep your business flowing through the winter months by helping you prepare for the cold weather. We have some helpful tips and advice on how to help prevent any frozen or burst pipes through the cold weather and information on what to do should your supply be affected in the winter.
How do I protect my pipes?
- If there is a drop in the temperature make sure to keep your heating on a low setting/turned on at least a couple of times a day to help stop the pipes from freezing.
- Find your Stop Valve – this valve controls the supply coming into your business. This valve should be checked every few months to ensure that if there is a burst you can turn off the supply and avoid any damage at the property
- If you are not at the property regularly/going away for a winter break – make sure that you have an emergency contact who can check in on the property should there be a burst pipe
- Ensure that any pipework or storage tanks are insulated. This is the best way to prevent a loss of supply should there be a “Big Freeze”. Information on how to protect your pipes can be found on the Scottish government website.
What if a I find a burst?
Firstly, identify where the burst is located – is this coming from the pipework or is this the water meter?
- My Pipework – if you locate a burst on your pipework you must call a licensed plumber– any pipework within your property boundary is your responsibility to repair. You can turn off your water supply by turning your stop valve to avoid any water damage at your property (normally anti-clockwise). If you do turn off your supply – switch off your heating system and open any other taps to allow the remaining water to drain from the system. Warn your neighbours in case your property is on a shared supply as this may also affect their water supply.
- My Water Meter – if you find that your water meter has burst, call our team at Brightwater on 0330 022 0570 as soon as possible. We can arrange for an urgent site visit from Scottish Water to attend and make the repair/replace the water meter and get you back up and running as soon as possible. If this is out with Brightwaters working hours (09.00-5.30pm) you can call Scottish Water directly on 0800 0778 778. You can turn off your water supply by turning your stop valve to avoid any water damage at your property (normally anti-clockwise). If you do turn off your supply – switch off your heating system and open any other taps to allow the remaining water to drain from the system. Warn your neighbours in case your property is on a shared supply as this may also affect their water supply.
What if my pipes freeze?
- Turn off the supply – You can turn off your water supply by turning your stop valve to avoid any water damage at your property (normally anti-clockwise).
- Open all COLD taps to drain the system – DO NOT open your hot taps.
- DO NOT attempt to thaw out your pipes by turning on your heating system.
- Check for any leaks on the pipework before attempting to thaw out the frozen pipe.
- If there are no leaks, wrap a heated cloth round the frozen pipe to gently thaw it out.
- EVER apply any open flames to the pipework. Trying to heat up the pipework too quickly can cause a burst.
- If in any doubt – call a licensed plumber: www.watersafe.org.uk or www.needaplumber.org .
If in doubt …
If you are in any doubt of what to do should your supply be affected by cold temperatures, please do not hesitate to call our team on 0330 022 0570 or email us at [email protected]. We would be happy to help with any enquiries to help you stay in business over winter.
Photo Credits:
- Main photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
