For more advice and tips on how to be prepared during winter, check out the direct.gov.uk website.
This link has lots of advice on how to protect your home over winter, how to look after your health and wellbeing as well as travel advice and other useful tips.
What to do if your pipes freeze
Turn off the water at the main stopcock and open the cold taps. It is best to leave the pipes frozen but you may try to thaw the pipe using something such as a hot water bottle or a hair dryer. Do not use a blow lamp. Take care to thaw from one end of the frozen section and not from the middle. Conserve hot water until the pipes are thawed.
What to do if your pipes burst
If your pipes burst and electric fittings get wet do not touch, and turn off electricity at the meter. Place a dish or bowl underneath the leak. Pull back any carpets and lay down newspapers or towels to absorb any dampness. Open all taps to drain water from the system and turn the water off at the stopcock. Turn off any gate valves from the water tank and switch off any water heaters.
If your pipes have burst and your ceiling bulges, place a bucket under the bulge and pierce a small hole to let the water through.
Know where your main stopcock is and check that it turns easily and is able to shut off the water supply. It is usually where the water pipe enters the house or near the kitchen sink. Also, get to know where the gate valves are for the hot and cold water tanks.
If you go away for a few days, lower the setting on your heating thermostat but leave the heating on.
