A burst outdoor pipe is one of those jobs that always seems to happen on the coldest, busiest week of the year. An hour of preparation in late November makes it far less likely, and the materials cost less than a takeaway.
Drain the outside tap
If your garden tap has an indoor isolating valve, the safest move is to turn it off and then open the outside tap to let the water in between drain away. Water that is not there cannot freeze and split the pipe.
Lag the vulnerable runs
Foam pipe insulation comes pre-split and pushes straight on. Pay attention to the bends and the section just before the wall, which freeze first because they are most exposed.
- Tape the joints in the foam so it cannot slide off.
- Fit an insulated cover over the outside tap itself.
- Check pipes in the loft, garage and under the floor too.
Don't forget the loft
Pipes in an unheated loft are a classic burst point. Lag them, and leave the loft hatch ajar on the very coldest nights so a little household warmth reaches the tank. Keep a known stop tap location in mind, so you can shut the water off fast if the worst happens.
Watering cans and hoses
Drain and coil the hose into the shed, and tip out water butts so the tap and the standing water do not freeze solid and crack the plastic. It is a five minute job that saves replacing a split butt in March.