Yorkshire snow warnings: How to prepare your home for severe cold weather as snow and ice set to hit the region this week

The Met Office predicts night time temperatures of -4C in parts of Yorkshire next week including Whitby and Middlesbrough, Scarborough, Hull, Beverley and York, Yorkshire Water is reminding customers to heat their water pipes to avoid a burst. The Met Office has also issued a yellow weather warning for the region, with snow and ice due.

In cold weather, pipes exposed to the air can freeze and burst, which causes issues to the property’s water supply as well as potential damage. Yorkshire Water works consistently, 365 days a year, to look after its network of underground pipes and assets, but pipes on private property belong to the owner and are their responsibility to look after.

Yorkshire Water encourages its customers to lag any vulnerable pipes, meaning to wrap them in foam insulation, to protect them from the cold weather.

Emily Brady from Yorkshire Water said: “Check for pipes, taps, cisterns, tanks and water metres in unheated areas that might be exposed to the cold. When you’ve found them, cut a piece of lagging to size and clip it on.

“If you’ve got some cable ties handy, pop a couple on to keep it secure. This will also help insulate your hot water system and could save you money on bills. You can also protect your outdoor taps with a tap cover to stop them freezing.”

Lagging pipes is a preventative measure, but if a pipe does freeze or burst, Ms Brady said: “If you turn your tap on to find no water, you might have a frozen pipe. First, check all exposed pipes for any leaks or bursts, if you can’t see anything then turn the tap on at your kitchen sink and heat the pipe with a hairdryer. Never ever use a naked flame to defrost a pipe.

“If a pipe has burst then turn your water off at the stop tap to minimise damage and water loss and find a trusted plumber via Water Safe. For those customers worried about accessing their exposed pipes or metre, take a look at our Priority Services Register to see if we can help in any way.”