Winter is coming, pay attention to your water pipes!

Winter is just around the corner. Snow, ice, and icy roads—all of the Netherlands is bracing itself for the final months of winter. Winter can also hit home hard. Curious how? Then read on!

Don't let your water pipes freeze...

One of the biggest problems that cold weather brings is frozen water pipes. This isn't just a problem for your bathroom faucet , but also for your heating and energy bill . Frozen pipes prevent you from getting hot water. Besides being incredibly uncomfortable in the cold, the frozen water pipes also cost you money.

How do you prevent frozen water pipes?

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to prevent this annoying problem and keep hot water in your bathroom. Prevention is simply better than cure!

• First, make sure that the water pipes are properly insulated.
  This prevents the pipes leading to your black kitchen faucet from getting too cold. You can do this with insulation material or a warm, thick blanket. Tip: don't forget to insulate the pipes in the attic.
• Don't set the thermostat at home lower than fifteen degrees.
  Always leave the central heating radiators open, as this prevents freezing.
• Make sure that the areas containing the water meter and the main tap are airtight.
  The air is cold now and a cold draft will cause your water pipes to freeze.
• Check that all pipes are crack-free.
  Found one? Turn off the water supply to this pipe and call a plumber!
• Are you a fanatic winter sports enthusiast and are you going to seek out the cold abroad?
  Then close the main valve on the pipe. Also, leave all the taps open!
  Tip: Flush the toilet once and sprinkle some table salt in the bowl . Leave the taps running while you're away.

Still struggling with a frozen water pipe? Follow these steps to fix it!

Step 1: It's important to turn off the water. Do this by turning off the main valve!

Tip: The main shut-off valve is often located in the meter cupboard or a hatch behind the front door. That saves you searching...

Step 2: Check your water pipes for frozen or cracked pipes. Pay particular attention to unheated and poorly insulated areas. If you see a crack, wait for it to thaw and call a plumber first!

Step 3: This is a small step-by-step plan to defrost the pipes:

• Turn on the heating in the room.
• Open a window or hatch.
• Place an electric heater or space heater next to the water pipe.
• Ask your neighbors if you can borrow some hot water. Soak a cloth in it and wrap the pipe with it. If necessary, you can also use a hairdryer.

If these steps do not work, ask a plumber for advice.

Step 4: First, place buckets or other containers under the faucets before turning on the faucets . This is to prevent your entire bathroom from flooding.

Step 5: Very carefully open the main valve. Check again for cracks to ensure the pipes are working properly again.

Last but not least: prevention is always better than cure. Follow the steps above to prevent frozen pipes thoroughly. This will ensure you never have to use the plan below.

Have fun this winter!