With a Level 3 Cold Weather Alert covering much of England until the end of the week, Severn Trent is reminding customers on how they can protect their home.

Head of Water Treatment, Stephanie Cawley, said: “We’re expecting a wave of cold weather to hit our region this week which can increase the chances of customers experiencing frozen pipes on their property. 

“A drop in temperature can cause pipes to leak or burst, which can cause damage and be costly to repair. Although we are not responsible for the pipework inside homes, we have some simple guidance on how everyone can protect your home this winter, including what customers should do if they find a frozen pipe on their property.”

Severn Trent’s top winter tips:

• Wrap all pipework, fittings, and storage tanks in unheated areas of your home (such as lofts, roofs, outbuildings and garages) with foam tubes
• If you have outside taps, either insulate them or drain them down to the pipework that links to the tap
• Make sure that you and other members of your household know where your stop tap is located so that it can be reached quickly in an emergency, and most importantly, check that it’s working properly
• If you do have a problem with your water supply this winter, with either low pressure or no water coming out of your taps, first check to see if your neighbours are having similar trouble. This will help establish if the issue is on Severn Trent’s network or on your own supply pipe. If your neighbours’ water supply is normal it is likely that you will need to call a plumber. If more than one household is affected, you’ll need to ring Severn Trent’s 24-hour emergency number to report the problem - 0800 783 4444
• If you spot a leak while you’re out and about you can report it here: https://www.stwater.co.uk/my-account/report-an-issue-through-vyn/ 
• Severn Trent has a Priority Services Register – to make sure those who need extra help in case of issues with supply are supported and encourages customers, friends, or family to let them know of anyone who might benefit from being checked on, or who needs a certain supply in case of an issue on the network - https://www.stwater.co.uk/get-in-touch/join-our-priority-services-register/  

See how it’s done:

How to find your stop tap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Kk-qrIFH_A

How to lag your pipes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcUf4Jn90CM 

What to do if your pipes are frozen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef5JO2svtrQ  

More tips on preparing your home for winter can be found here: https://www.stwater.co.uk/my-supply/wintertogether/