How to deal with frozen pipes

Posted on 20th Nov 2025

Frozen pipes can lead to major issues, if you suspect one has iced over, it is important to sort it out right away. Just make sure you do it correctly - handling it wrong can actually make the situation much worse.

During cold spells, keep your home at a steady, safe temperature rather than heating it unnecessarily all year long.

Some practical ways to protect your pipes include:

Set your thermostat to a moderate level when the temperature drops, especially overnight
Leave interior doors open so warm air can circulate
Disconnect any garden hoses after use to prevent outdoor pipes from freezing

If a pipe does burst, shut off your home's water supply immediately and contact us on 0141 774 4433 to report this, or 0800 595 595 for out of hours.

And if you end up with a frozen pipe, you can restore water flow by following these simple steps:

Step 1: Start by locating your cold water tap and turning off the water supply.

Then determine which pipe has frozen:

Turn on the taps in your home: if the water flow is weak or stops all together, the pipe feeding that tap is likely frozen.
Inspect any exposed pipes - like those under sinks - for frost, icy buildup, or bulging sections that indicate a blockage.
A pipe you can see and reach is generally much easier to thaw than one concealed behind a wall.

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Step 2: If the pipe supplying a tap is frozen, turn that tap on - this will allow water to flow out as soon as the ice inside the pipe begins to melt.

Step 3: If the frozen pipe is visible and accessible, you can thaw it using a hairdryer or by wrapping it with warm towels. Never use an open flame, and do not try to heat the pipe from the blocked end. Begin warming the pipe near the tap and work your way back toward the frozen section - this helps prevent pressure from building up behind the blockage as the ice melts.

Step 4: If the pipe is in a spot you can not reach, try turning up your home's heating and give it time to warm the area naturally.

Step 5: If this does not work you should contact us 0n 0141 774 4433 asap or our out of hours 0800 595 595.

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