Have You Protected Your Pipes from Freezing Over the Winter Holidays?
Posted on 12th December, 2022 by Ozz 
The winter holidays are coming, and temperatures are set to plummet throughout the UK over the coming weeks. Whilst it’s easy to become distracted by the festive fun, it is equally easy to fall victim to frozen pipes. To support our customers throughout the frosty period, we’re sharing some top tips on avoiding this winter worry. Check it out and stay protected!
As we all look forward to the end of the year and closing down for Christmas, we need to keep in mind the risk of pumps and pump systems freezing up, as they may not be in use and less frequently maintained.
How to Avoid Frozen Pipes This Winter: 5 Top Tips
Below we have listed out a few ways to protect your pumps against freezing:
1. For systems that use anti-freeze mixture to protect their systems, always ensure that this is topped up and at the recommended mixed ratio for the outside temperature.
2. For external plant rooms, a temporary heater on a thermostat can be installed to ensure the room does not drop below freezing point. If a heater is already installed in the plant room, you should ensure that this is operating correctly.
3. For external pump systems – particularly for cold or booster water which aren’t being used – the safest thing to do is to turn off and drain the system down completely. Before turning off and draining, be sure you know what they are feeding and that they can be switched off.
4. Another option for external pumps would be to ensure that all pumps and pipework have the correct lagging, or as a temporary option are covered to protect them.
5. Leave the system running on a low flow to keep the system circulating which reduces the chance of freezing.
What Do I Do If My Pipes Freeze?
If your pump system does freeze up, it can often cause a lot of damage including the need to replace the pump. What we typically find is as the water freezes inside the pumps, it expands and can split the casing rendering the pump useless.
All pump systems should be able to be protected using one of the above methods. We highly recommend you carry out a site survey to ensure every system is protected and you avoid unneeded and costly damage.
Don’t Let Winter Catch You Out: Call on Dura Pump
If your pump or pipe system is struggling to cope with freezing temperatures or winter demand, don’t sweat it: call on Dura Pump. Our engineers can attend your site to carry out any repairs or replacements, minimising potential downtime. To get started, contact us.
