Freeze Alert: Protect Your Pipes this Winter

“By taking steps to insulate and protect properties and pipes, customers can avoid the considerable inconvenience and costs caused by frozen or burst pipes.”

Peter Farrer
Chief Operating Officer, Scottish Water

With more sub-zero temperatures this week and a thaw forecast next week, Scottish Water is asking householders and businesses to ensure their water pipes are protected and help minimise the risk of bursts, damage to property, and water losses. 

Property owners are being advised that protecting their water pipes could prevent problems such as bursts and flooding - and all the inconvenience and expense they can cause - and help reduce the amount of water lost through leakage. 

When temperatures fall below zero, water in pipes can freeze, expand, and then contract if the temperature rises, and this can cause them to crack or burst. 

In recent winters, Scotland has experienced several very cold weeks, with pipes freezing followed by quick thawing, and this has sometimes caused a surge in the number of bursts across the country.

This, in turn, has led to many incidents of flooding and damage to property, causing significant inconvenience and expense for householders and businesses throughout the country. 

In the winter of 2023/24, Scottish Water recorded a total of 3100 bursts across the country’s water network, and more than 30% of these were on customers’ properties.

The bursts and leaks also meant substantial amounts of the water Scottish Water produces were lost. 

To help reduce the risk of a repeat, the utility advises anyone with a home, holiday home or business premises to take action to protect their properties and pipes, whether the property is old or new. 

The key advice about pipes is to heat, insulate, and protect. Making sure pipes and water tanks are properly insulated is one of the simplest and cheapest things that can be done to help protect properties from the cold.

Visit www.scottishwater.co.uk/winter for further advice, information, and films. The advice is part of Scottish Water’s winter campaign, which includes tips on all things winter and water-related.

Peter Farrer, Scottish Water’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “By taking steps to insulate and protect properties and pipes, customers can avoid the considerable inconvenience and costs caused by frozen or burst pipes. 

“Taking action to reduce the risk of such bursts can also help reduce the amount of water lost through leakage from our system, which has affected us during some winters when there has been freeze and thaw weather.” 

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