How to avoid frozen and burst pipes
When the water in a pipe freezes, it expands by about 9 %. That is enough to burst both copper and plastic pipes. Here are five things you can do before the frost arrives.
1. Shut off and drain outdoor taps
Close the stop valve inside the house, open the outdoor tap and leave it open all winter. If you do not have a stop valve, we can fit a frost-proof outdoor tap.
2. Insulate pipes in cold rooms
Pipes in unheated crawl spaces, garages, outbuildings and lofts should be insulated with pipe lagging. In exposed spots a heating cable with a thermostat may be necessary.
3. Keep the heating on – even when you are away
Never set thermostats below frost protection (about 8–10 °C) when travelling in winter. Leave the doors to the utility room and bathroom ajar so the heat reaches the pipes.
4. Winterise the holiday home properly
Turn off the main stopcock, drain the pipes, hot-water cylinder, toilet cistern and traps, and pour antifreeze into the drains. We offer winter shutdown as a regular service in the holiday-home areas around Give and Vejle.
5. Know your main stopcock
Everyone in the household should know where the main stopcock is and how to close it. It can limit damage from thousands to hundreds of kroner.