The Christmas and New Year celebrations are out of the way, we’ve been lucky to have had such a mild winter here in Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley. However, the colder weather is on its way to Sheffield with a very chilly start to 2019 according to BBC Weather, you find out more here. As the weather drops cold, the chances of frozen/cracked pipes become even higher. Whether you’re in a domestic or commercial property, the chances of getting a cracked pipe are the same, unless you carry out the necessary precautions to prevent this from happening.
How Is A Cracked Pipe Caused?
When water freezes in the pipe, it expands and creates extra pressure/strain on the pipes which can cause a cracked pipe. If a cracked pipe is left unnoticed, this could potentially leak out hundreds of gallons of water inside your property, damaging your walls, floors and possibly dangerous electrical issues. A cracked pipe is not only caused by the cold weather, they can also be caused by other factors such as age, misuse or damage and the effects of a burst pipe can often leave people without water or even a house for days/weeks.
How Do I Know If I Have A Cracked Pipe?
Often, you don’t realise you have a cracked pipe until it’s too late and you’ve had a huge water leak in your property (Don’t worry, we have a 24 hour call out service!)
- Less water pressure – When you have a cracked pipe, this means water will escape through the cracks which will reduce the pressure. You may find that when you turn the tap on, the water runs slower than usual.
- Damp – If you notice any bubbling, cracking or peeling of your walls, this may indicate that there’s a cracked pipe behind the wall which is leaking water.
- Dripping noises – If you can hear a dripping noise or if you notice any random puddles, chances are that there is a cracked pipe somewhere in your property. If you see any water in your house, call Metro Rod Sheffield on 0808 208 2655 and we can sort this for you as a matter of urgency.
- Increased Water Bills – If you have a cracked pipe, water will be escaping which could double the amount of water you’re using. Also, if you notice that your water meter is constantly running even when you’re not using it, this may also be due to a cracked pipe.
Preventing Cracked Pipes
The effects of a cracked pipe can be reduced significantly if you follow the correct procedures below, watch out for any signs mentioned previously and call Metro Rod Sheffield ASAP for an emergency call-out. There are ways of preventing a cracked pipe during these colder months such as:
- Leave the cupboard doors open so that the heat from the room can transfer to the pipes to keep them warm
- Leave the tap dripping slightly when it drops below approx. -4 degrees Celsius outside, so it keeps the water flowing through the pipes
- Apply electrical wrap tape around the potential risk pipes (this will slow down the freezing process)
- Any pipes which you feel may be a high risk of becoming frozen, keep them well heated. Do NOT use a portable heater as this can cause the pipe to crack
If the pipes are already frozen, to prevent the pipes from cracking, it is important to switch off the water supply at the stopcock until the frozen pipes are back to normal. If you can see that there are no cracks in the pipe, you can either turn up the heating in the property as this will defrost the pipes or you can apply a hairdryer or heat lamp to the pipe to melt the water inside. Please make sure the heat applied is gradually, don’t use a blow torch or anything too hot and direct to do this as you could cause the pipe to crack.
What Should I Do If I Have A Cracked Pipe?
If you notice a cracked pipe in your property in the Sheffield area, call us right away on 0808 208 2655 and an engineer will be with you as soon as possible. Here at Metro Rod Sheffield, we offer a wide range of different solutions for a cracked pipe, the most popular/effective two being excavation or drain lining.
- Drain Lining – this a quick and easy process whereby one of our skilled engineers will insert tailored lengths of fabric/woven material into the existing pipe line alongside a resin which will set to a hard plastic, filling in any cracked pipe
- Excavation – if the pipe is badly damaged then our pipe lining method would not be suitable, so we would have to remove the pipe and replace it with a brand new one.
Why choose Metro Rod?
The range of services offered by Metro Rod Sheffield is extensive. Whether it’s a blocked drain emergency, regular pre-planned maintenance or a specific technical problem, Metro Rod will solve the problem. Simply give us a call on 0808 208 2655 and we would be more than happy to help. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year throughout all of Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster.
We have an unrivalled response time with a team of skilled engineers who are all trained to the highest standards, DBS checked and fully insured. Our services include the following:
- Clearing blocked drains
- Inspection & CCTV Surveys
- Drain Care & Repair
- Pipe Linings & Renovation
- Tanker Services
- Pre-planned Preventative Maintenance
- And much more!
As a nationwide company, we understand the importance of great customer service and take care of all of our customers throughout the whole process.
If you have any issues whether that be a blocked toilet, cracked pipe or if you want to discuss pre-planned maintenance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Metro Rod Sheffield
Visit: https://www.metrorod.co.uk/local/sheffield/
Call us on: 0808 208 2655
Email: [email protected]
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At Metro Rod Sheffield we appreciate feedback from our customers so that we can continue to improve our services. If you have recently had works carried out by Metro Rod Sheffield, please feel free to leave us a review on either of the following:
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