Who to call if you have a burst pipe emergency in London

Do you have a burst pipe emergency in London or anywhere else for that matter? If you do, the first thing you should do is to shut off the water where it comes into the property. As soon as you do that, you can prevent any further loss of water and or minimise any possible flood danger.

Do you have any plumbing experience? If not, the next thing you should do is call a plumber to repair the damage and get your water supply back on stream. If you live in South London, the best people to call is CW Services Plumbing and Heating. We operate a 24/7/365 emergency call-out service, and you’ll find our contact numbers at the end of this article.

The leading cause of a burst pipe emergency in London

The most common cause of a burst pipe emergency in London is cold or freezing weather. Mostly when you have water pipes in cold or unheated areas. When the temperature drops down towards zero or below, any water in exposed pipes may freeze.

When water freezes, it expands. This expansion exerts significant pressure on the pipe holding it. This can result in fractures appearing around any joints, or splits in the pipe itself. Not only does the ice prevent any water flow, but as it melts, water can then flood out through any breaks.

Unfreezing a frozen pipe by yourself

It is possible to unfreeze frozen pipes yourself. If the pipes is merely bulging, and it hasn’t fractured anywhere, your water will flow once unfrozen. However, you need to beware. If the integrity of the pipe has been compromised, when water begins to flow it will leak out.

If you attempt to unfreeze the pipes yourself, after turning the water main off, you must apply any direct heat in slow strokes. Don’t concentrate the heat in one static area. This can damage the pipe causing it to rupture. A hair drier or a blowtorch can be used as a heat source. Alternatively, you can wrap a hot towel around the section of pipe.

If you do discover you have a burst pipe emergency in London, call a plumber like CW Services. We offer a 24-hour emergency call-out service. If you can turn the water main off while you are waiting for us to arrive, you should do so.

Turning off your mains water supply

You turn the water main off by closing down the stopcock. This is often to be found with other facilities where they enter the property. Once you’ve located it, turn it in a clockwise direction to close it down. It’s always wise to be prepared for an emergency. We recommend you should locate your mains stopcock when you move in.

Talking of being prepared for a burst pipe emergency in London. It’s also a good idea shortly after you’ve moved in to track down a plumber. Make a note of their phone number and keep it in a safe place.

Your emergency plumber in South London

We at CW Services Plumbing and Heating are highly recommended plumbers in the South London area. If you do need to call us in an emergency any time of day or night, our numbers are 020 7733 6812, or 07949 095 184. Call us now if you have an emergency or make a note of the numbers for later – just in case.