Top tips for cold weather

Top tips for cold weather

When the temperature drops, a few simple checks can keep your heating running smoothly and save you having a chilly morning. Here’s what to do if the weather turns and something stops working.

If your meter is frozen

In very wintry weather, a pay as you go meter can freeze, which makes it hard to insert your top-up card or press the buttons.

To fix it, hold a warm hot water bottle over the card slot and buttons for a short while, until they thaw and start working again. Please don’t use any other method to heat this area.

If your condensate pipe freezes

Your boiler has a pipe that carries water outside, called the condensate pipe. In very cold weather the liquid inside can freeze and block it and when that happens your boiler shuts down on purpose to avoid any damage.

If you think this has happened, and the pipe is easy and safe to reach, you may be able to thaw it yourself:

• Run warm (not boiling) water along the pipe or use a heat wrap or a hot water bottle.
• Leave the pipe where it is. Don’t remove or disconnect it. The ice should loosen as it warms.
• Once the pipe is clear, reset your boiler, following the instructions in your boiler manual.

If you’re unsure, or the pipe is hard to reach, contact a Gas Safe registered engineer. They can thaw it safely and help stop it happening again, for example by insulating the pipe.

If a water pipe freezes

If you think a water pipe has frozen, please contact a plumber.

It’s worth finding your stopcock now, too so you know where it is if you ever need it. The stopcock turns your cold-water supply on and off, and it’s usually under the kitchen sink. It works like a tap: turn it clockwise to close, and anticlockwise to open.

Need a hand?

If you’re not sure what to do our helpful team are always here for you. Give us a call on 0330 024 9000.

If you smell gas

If you ever smell gas, contact the 24-hour NI Gas Emergency Service straight away on 0800 002 001.