Seven Safety Precautions to Prepare Your Home for a London Winter

Living in London is exciting and special. It is an amazing city that offers something for everyone, and attracts millions of tourists every year. If you’re a proud resident of London, you also know that living here presents a few challenges – namely, being able to handle the London winters. Winters here can get bitter cold, and one of the main areas that need attention are your plumbing pipes. Having them burst in the middle of winter is no fun, but there are steps you can take to increase the likelihood that this will not happen.

03_shutter_302066258-plumbers-in-londonSeven Simple Steps

If you want to take better care of your pipes during the winter, here are some tips.

  1. If you have water hoses or sprinklers, make sure they are drained well and disconnected. Try not to use ingredients such as antifreeze in these items. If you have a dryer, you will need to check the vents and have them cleaned out by companies akin to https://dryerventsquad.com/gwinnett-county/ to make them safe.
  2. Make sure your pipes are covered with pipe-wrapping materials so that they are insulated. This is especially important in unheated areas, such as your mobile home or garage.
  3. Make sure any exterior wall is insulated, and seal off any area where air could get through, such as cracks, vents and access doors. Also, make sure your thermostat is set to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
  4. If you will be gone for a period of time, get a neighbor to check on your home on a regular basis, and make sure they have the number of plumbing services such as Sharp Plumbing & Heating or other similar ones in case something does happen.
  5. Know where your master shut-off valve is in case you have an emergency; this valve is usually found under the kitchen sink, but could be located anywhere in your home.
  6. If your pipes do freeze, you can sometimes un-freeze them with a hair dryer. Try placing a towel over the pipes beforehand, and make sure you use the hair dryer over the entire pipe.
  7. Before it gets too cold, make sure you have the phone number of a competent plumber that you can call 24 hours per day, as not all emergencies can be avoided.

Finding a Competent Plumber

Despite our best efforts, emergencies do happen. According to this site, “A plumbing issue becomes an emergency when it poses a threat to your home’s structural integrity or your family’s health”. Now you know what constitutes as a plumbing emergency, you need to know what to do in that situation. It is best to call in a professional plumber, preferably one that has 24-hour service. Plumbers in London from Plumbers 4 U and companies like them offer top-notch service and professionals who know what they’re doing. If something does go wrong with your pipes, don’t try to handle the situation yourself. Call a competent plumber who will get your pipes repaired in no time, so that you can go back to your life quickly.