Emergency plumbing comes in very many forms especially when winter comes around the change in weather conditions can often cause a few problems. From stormy weather causing power cuts to freezing temperatures creating icy roads and pavements causing skids and slips. These are scenarios we prepare for and take precautions to avoid and deal with the best we can. So what do you do when the cold weather brings with it an emergency plumbing situation? If the area you live in experiences harsh winters, then you may have experienced some kind of plumbing emergency brought on by the cold weather.

One of the most common issues in the winter is frozen pipes and this issue can often lead to a more serious plumbing emergency. While it may put you at ease to know that there is a plumber available providing a 24 hour emergency plumbing service to fix any problems you may have, it is also nice to be able to deal with the problem yourself.

Frozen pipes are generally caused by temperatures dropping below freezing, this causes the temperature inside the pipe to drop significantly and as the water inside the pipe starts to freeze it’s not long before the pipe itself also freezes. This is most likely to happen overnight while your sleeping, only to wake up in the morning and find your shower has no kind of flow, which can be a frustrating situation when you are looking forward to a hot shower.

Emergency Plumbing: Defrosting Frozen Pipes

This problem could quickly become more serious if you start to defrost your pipes in the wrong manner and you may find yourself in need of an emergency plumber. It may seem like there’s a simple solution to defrost your pipes just heat them up with an open flame, this would be a bad idea. Although this would start to defrost your pipes the heat would be concentrated to a particular area and the pipe would get too hot and expand causing it crack, leading to a burst pipe.

The best way to defrost your pipes without causing damage would be to use hot water if it is available, or even a hair dryer. This will allow the pipes to heat up gradually without putting stress on a particular area of the pipe. Unfortunately, you may find that the pipes have cracked before you try and defrost them due to the expansion caused by freezing, in this case you should call an emergency plumber immediately as the only way to fix this usually involves changing the pipes.

It is possible to avoid the issue of frozen pipes altogether if you put insulation around them before the cold weather sets in. You prepare yourself to go out in the cold by wrapping up in a coat, hat and scarf so that you don’t feel the harsher effects of the cold, so why not do the same for your pipes and take preventative measures to avoid the need for an emergency plumber.

If you have any concerns about how you can avoid an emergency plumbing situation or need advice on how to prepare for the colder months give us a call on 0151 345 4039