People have been urged to carry out a simple task that could prevent an eye-watering £9,000 bill this winter if disaster strikes. The festive season can already be an expensive time for many households.
The expense of Christmas along with heating bills can make things especially difficult. Therefore, finance guru Martin Lewis revealed an easy way to prevent an expensive cost.
His website Money Saving Expert explained that we should all be prepared to switch off the water in our house in the event of a burst pipe. This is more likely in the winter time as the water in the pipes can freeze.
To be ready for this you need to know where your home’s stopcock is. “Everyone should know where their main ‘water off’ switch is,” Money Saving Expert said. Frozen pipe bursts create on average £9,000 plus of damage – worse if you can’t find the off switch as your home floods.”
In an article written by Martin Lewis himself, he explained how to find this switch. “A stopcock is your mains water tap (the off switch),” Martin said. “Everyone should know where theirs is, especially at this time of year when pipes can burst due to frost. If you don’t know where yours is, your house could be flooded with water everywhere, while you have no idea how to stop it.
“Damage from burst water pipes is a massive cause of home insurance claims.” The stopcock can be found in different places depending on your home.
“In my house it’s under the kitchen sink, a very common place to find it,” Martin said. “Yet that’s the indoor valve, many homes also have an outdoor one.”
Thames Water explains that it is usually found just after the water pipe enters the house. This is often:
- Under the kitchen sink
- In an airing cupboard
- Under the stairs
- Under the floorboards
- Near the front door
- In the garage, utility room, bathroom or cellar.
To turn your water off:
- Turn the valve clockwise
- It may take a few turns to stop the water. You’ll usually get to a point where you can’t turn it anymore. You shouldn’t need to use excessive force to turn it further
- It may also take a few minutes for the water to stop running from your taps, as there will be some water left in the pipes from before you turned the water off.
To turn your water on:
- Turn the valve anti-clockwise
- It may take a few turns to turn the water on. It may also take a few minutes for the water to start running from your taps, as it will need to run through the pipes again.
Thames Water recommended setting yourself a monthly reminder in your calendar to check your inside stop valve is working correctly. “This way you’ll be confident you can turn off your water in an emergency,” it said.
Martin added: “If your stopcock isn’t working, you may want to call a plumber now – before you have a problem.”