Burst Pipes: Common Causes, Prevention & What to Do When You Discover One

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Burst Pipes: Common Causes, Prevention & What to Do When You Discover One

Burst Pipes: Common Causes, Prevention & What to Do When You Discover One
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Common Causes Of A Burst Pipe

A burst pipe is one of the most common problems in the home. It can also be one of the most devastating, so you need to make sure you do what you can to prevent this from happening to you. We will discuss the common causes of a burst pipe, how you can prevent it from happening, and what you should do when you find one, or suspect one.

There are several reasons burst pipes can occur, but this is usually down to the temperature and conditions they are in. Here are the two main causes below:

Water Pressure

Water pressure is one of the most common causes of a burst pipe. When something in your house becomes clogged up, it can put a lot of pressure on your pipes. This may be a clogged up water pump or even a plugged up toilet. When this pressure is too much for the pipes to take, they will expand. Obviously, this is going to lead to a burst pipe. Bear in mind that these things can happen suddenly if you’re failing to take the time to do routine maintenance on your water pump! Make sure you’re doing routine maintenance and you should notice something like this happening before it becomes an issue.

Below Freezing Temperature

A below freezing temperature is the other most common reason that a burst pipe occurs. This is why careful steps need to be taken to prepare pipes for winter, or you could run into big problems when the weather takes a turn for the worst. The water in the pipes freezes and expands during winter. Once this water has turned to ice, the pressure of the flowing water that can still manage to get through the walls becomes too much to handle, and a burst pipe will usually happen.

Other Reasons a Burst Pipe May Occur

● Tree and plant roots blocking the pipes
● Failure to perform regular checks and maintenance on pipes

How To Prevent A Burst Pipe

You’re going to need to know how to prevent a burst pipe if you’d like to avoid the expense and the hassle that can come along with it. The first most important thing is to make sure you know where your stop cock is – if you don’t, then find out. Getting to this quickly could be the way that you prevent most of the damage. Make sure your outside taps and piping (including drain pipes for heating or overflow pipes) are insulated. You can use foam to do this, and it’s pretty inexpensive.

You can also purchase a good quality pipe lagging for unheated areas such as lofts in most DIY stores. You’ll want to pay special attention to pipes in those unheated areas. Any pipes buried in the ground outside (such as pipes to garages or sheds) need to be buried deep enough to avoid a problem, and/or lagged to be doubly safe. Insulate your cold water tank too – this is often forgotten about.

It’s a good idea to leave your heating on at least 12 degrees centigrade at all times throughout cold spells, so that your pipes never have the chance to get too cold. Make sure you also set about fixing dripping taps or existing leaks as quickly as possible – even a small trickle can cause a frozen pipe, resulting in a burst.

Ensure you have your central heating system checked on a regular basis, and make sure the house can remain warm even when you’re out.

If a pipe has frozen and you want to stop it from bursting, you’ll need to slowly thaw the pipe with hot water bottles or a towel soaked in hot water, starting at the end nearest the tap. You can also use a hair-dryer, but make sure you use the lowest setting. You should never use a naked flame or blowlamp to do this, as it can cause more problems in the long run.

What To Do When You Find A Burst Pipe

If you find or suspect a burst pipe, then you need to act fast. Bear in mind that unusual noises and electrical faults can point to a burst pipe, and not just a massive flood.

Isolate the water from the stop cock as soon as possible, and then clean excess water away to prevent damage. It’s best to do this with thick towels. Call a professional emergency plumber out ASAP to minimise damage!

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