Every day in Ireland, over 1.7 billion litres of water is treated and pumped to be consumed by the end user . Although Almost half of this is lost through leaks.
With the current news that the temperatures are about to drop over the next few days, frozen and burst pipes will now be a real issue for some business and homeowners.
Now more than ever with a lot of businesses closed ,the chances of burst pipes will increase if their pipework is exposed to extreme cold temperatures.
What can cause burst pipes?
The most common cause of burst pipes occurs from a drop in temperature, causing the water inside your pipes to freeze. When the water freezes, it expands and puts huge pressure on your pipes. This causes them to crack or burst open. When the frozen water inside the pipes thaws and reverts back to liquid, it escapes from the pipes.
How can I prevent frozen pipes?
Preventing frozen pipes is cheaper than having to repair burst pipes. Try the following steps:
- Leave your heating on at a low temperature or put it on timer for set periods .
- If your building is to be vacant we recommend to turn the water off at its source.
- Insulate any pipes which will be exposed to the cold temperatures
- In confined spaces which have no current heat source try setting up temporary heat sources such as portable radiators or heat lamps.
- DO NOT leave you water trickling from taps. We highly recommend against this for a number of reasons and as it goes against our ethos for water conservation.
Burst pipe ,what will I do?
- Don’t wait until you have a leak to find the location of your water stop valves. Do this today and have a procedure in place.
- When a leak occurs turn the water off using the stop valves within the property and if possible the one outside your building
- Call your emergency plumber for assistance
- If you can not find the water shut off valve try running all taps to reduce the pressure, this may also help to drain the system.
- If your leak is within a ceiling space and the ceiling is bulging, try using a screwdriver to puncture a drain hole. Then use items to catch the leaking water.
- If your burst pipe is near any electrical sockets or switches, turn off your electrical mains to be safe. If there is any form of water leakage near your electrical mains switch, do not touch it. Call an electrician for assistance
- Move any items away from the area which are likely to get damaged by the water.
An undetected hidden burst pipe can potentially cost you more money than a sudden leak which causes catastrophic damage. This is because a hidden leak will still register on your water meter. You may not receive your water bill for a couple of months by which time the water usage has compounded to cost you thousands
With your property now 3 times more likely to be damaged by a plumbing leak than by burglary. Maybe your business could do with investing in a water management technology. SMART FLOW monitors for leaks and excessive usage 24/7 365 while allowing for automatic and remote water shut off. Alerting you in real time as and when the issues occur. All while helping you to greatly improve on your water sustainability agenda.
Find out more on how we can help you and your business www.mysmartflow.ie
