Frozen pipes: how to prevent them and what to do if one bursts.

Pipes freeze where it's cold and still: lofts, garages, outside walls and under suspended floors.

• Lag exposed pipes. Foam pipe insulation costs little and slides on. Do the loft, garage and anything outside first.
• Insulate the water tank if you have one in the loft.
• Keep the heating on low in very cold weather, even overnight or when you're out. Most thermostats have a frost setting.
• Sort dripping taps. A drip can freeze in the waste pipe and block it.
• Drain the outside tap. Turn it off at the isolation valve inside and leave the tap open.
• Open the loft hatch during a hard freeze so some warm air gets up there.
• Find your stopcock now, and check it turns. It's usually under the kitchen sink. If it's stiff, get it looked at before you need it.

Going away? Leave the heating on low and ask someone to check in.

• A tap gives a trickle or nothing at all.
• The boiler has stopped and is showing a fault (see the condensate pipe section below).
• You can see frost on a pipe, or a bulge.

1. Turn off the water at the stopcock. A frozen pipe may already have split. You won't know until it thaws.
2. Open the nearest tap so water can escape as the ice melts.
3. Warm the pipe gently. Use a hot water bottle, or towels soaked in warm water. Start at the end nearest the tap and work back.
4. Never use a naked flame, blowtorch or heat gun. It can damage the pipe and start a fire.
5. Turn the water back on slowly and check the pipe for leaks.

If your boiler stops in freezing weather, the plastic condensate pipe that runs outside may have frozen. Pour warm (not boiling) water along the outside section of the pipe, then reset the boiler. If it won't restart, call an engineer.

1. Turn off the stopcock.
2. Open all the taps, hot and cold, and flush the toilets to drain the system.
3. Turn off the boiler and any immersion heater.
4. Turn off the electrics at the fuse box if water is near anything electrical. Don't touch wet switches or sockets.
5. Catch what you can with buckets and towels. If a ceiling is bulging, stay out from under it.
6. Move what you can out of the way.
7. Take photos for your home insurer.
8. Call for the repair.

The pipe itself needs a plumber. Damage caused by the water, such as ceilings, flooring and belongings, is normally a matter for your home insurance. Call your insurer early.