Burst frozen pipes can cause ten of thousands of pounds worth of damage. Water gushing out of heating or pipe ruptures can cause destruction equal to that of a house fire or flood, especially if it happens while you are out at work or if the property is empty…

If you’re property is on the market, it’s the last thing you want. We’ve shown prospective buyers around empty properties that haven’t been protected against the cold weather and the damage caused by a burst pipe is an instant “off-putter”.

According to a claims survey by UK insurer Direct Line, nine out of ten burst pipes occur when no-one is at home. However, with a little preparation you can safeguard your property against this financial disaster.

1. Insulating you pipes can immediately reduce the risk. If you’re going away, or if you don’t live at the property, time your central heating to come on periodically at a low heat and turn off your outside taps.
2. Make sure there are no leaking pipes if you have a loft. Open the loft hatch to allow warmer air to reach the area occasionally and help prevent freezing pipes.
3. Condensing boiler systems (you can usually tell if you have a condensing boiler as they have a white plastic outlet pipe leading from the bottom of the boiler to the outside of your property) should be closely monitored as drain away pipes are outside your home.

Perhaps the most important is to make sure you know where your stopcock is. This means that if a pipe does burst, you can turn off the water supply immediately. If your house is on the market, it’s a good idea to make sure that your estate agent also knows where this is.

If you happen to find a pipe that hasn’t yet burst, try to thaw out the pipe with a hairdryer (on a low heat) or by draping over towels that have been soaked in hot water.

It’s important to note that insurers may turn down a claim for damage if they find that a homeowner has failed to carry out basic property maintenance. Keeping a check on pipes, mending loose tiles, clearing gutters and sweeping chimneys are simple ways to prepare your home for winter and should satisfy an insurer that you’ve done your part.