Quotedevil has put together a list of tips to protect your home as Ireland awaits the arrival of "The Beast from the East"
Here are some simple steps you can take to help prevent your pipes from freezing:
Leave your central heating on for short periods of time throughout the day
Let warm air into your roofspace by keeping the attic door open
Keep the cupboard doors under your sink open. This will let warm air move around the pipes
Leave the home's inside doors slightly open to allow the warm air to travel around the house
If you are going to be away from your home during the bad weather ask a friend or neighbour to check the house and keep the heating on
If you have a frozen pipe
Thaw it out slowly by resting hot water bottles or towels soaked in warm water on the pipe
Do not use intense direct heat eg. a blowtorch or other flame as this may cause permanent damage to your pipes.
If you have a burst pipe
Turn off the water supply at the mains immediately by turning the stopcock clockwise. This will stop any more water getting into the water pipes. If the burst pipe is on the main water system the rush of water will stop after a short while.
If the rush of water does not stop or there is still a constant run of water, the problem is probably on the cold water storage system. You will need to drain down the cold water storage tank which is usually located in the attic
