Although the howling winds of Storm Brendan blowing through the UK over the past week might have felt chilly, we’re actually yet to experience our first deep frost and prolonged cold snap of the winter. However, don’t be thinking we’re out of the woods just yet! As we enter what’s generally the coldest part of the year, there’s every chance we’ll experience disruptive winter weather and a severe cold snap, as we have on an almost regular basis over the last few years.

February is usually the coldest month of the year; in 2018 the average temperature for the month was just 3.1C, with the snowstorms brought from the ‘Beast from the East’ throwing much of the country into chaos for more than a week.

Whilst you can’t change the weather, you can ensure that you’re prepared for it, and as every good cub scout will tell you; ‘failing to prepare is preparing to fail!’.  So what could or rather should you be doing?

Are you one of 75% of people unsure if their pipes are insulated?

A quick question for you! Do you know if the pipes in your home are lagged or insulated in some way? If you don’t then you’re certainly not alone; recent research by the Met Office suggests that as many as three out of four home owners are unaware if their pipes are insulated or not!

The problem with that? Cold weather is bad news for pipes.  British insurers constantly report burst pipes as one of the most common and expensive causes of household damage and claims. Indeed, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), insurers pay out a whopping £1.8 million for it every day! The organisation also estimates that repairs to fix a burst water pipe can reach up to £7,500 — that’s an awful lot of money to find just after Christmas!

So our first bit of advice is to establish whether or not your pipes are lagged! If they’re not, then this is the time to get it done and avoid being one of those expensive claims or people that are thrown into potential chaos when a cold snap arrives.

Remember, just because your pipes haven’t burst previously doesn’t mean they won’t in the future! Pay special attention to any joints, which are often the weakest point of piping in the home.

Protect your condensate pipe

In freezing weather, the condensate pipe from your boiler is one pipe that is particularly prone to problems; if not protected properly it can freeze up and stop your boiler from working. If that happens to you, you’ll be left without heating and hot water, definitely not what you want during that cold snap!

Our FrostSentry device can prevent yours from ever freezing up again.

As soon as air temperatures fall below 2.5C, the FrostSentry automatically warms the inside of your condensate pipe, ensuring you continue to have a fully functioning heating and hot water system just when you need it most. Unlike other devices, it doesn’t rely on a constant energy supply, only kicking in when it’s needed.

Having one fitted could save you expensive emergency callout charges; if your boiler suddenly stopped working, it might be tempting to call out a plumber or heating engineer, but how frustrating would it be if the cause was as simple as a frozen condensate pipe?

The FrostSentry is straightforward to installed and supplied with all parts required to finish the job, so it’s also the ideal “fit and forget” solution to keep your boiler working all winter.

If you’re worried about how the worst winter weather could affect your pipes and think that the FrostSentry could potentially save a lot of headaches, visit https://teddingtonheating.com/frost-sentry/