Irish Water is urging homes and businesses to check for leaks, frozen pipes and to conserve water ahead of freezing temperatures expected in the week ahead.

Temperatures in the west of Ireland are expected to drop into the freezing levels next week, hitting as low as -5 degrees on Monday and Tuesday night.

On top of icy and dangerous road conditions expected, Irish Water is cautioning people to try and protect themselves against freezing pipes, and to conserve their water supply in the event of bursts.

In January, following freezing temperatures and the subsequent thaw the public water network experienced a higher than normal volume of bursts, with hundreds of leak and burst repairs arising from the cold snap carried out.

Speaking about the forecasted freezing weather, Tom Cuddy Head of Operations at Irish Water said that homeowners, businesses, and people responsible for vacant buildings should check for leaks, and turn off water where it isn’t needed.

“We are also appealing to customers to check outside pipes in particular that can become frozen and burst during periods of cold weather and report leaks they see on the public network to us.”

“Small efforts by everyone to conserve water wherever possible make a big difference overall and we would ask the public to only use what they need whilst continuing to adhere to public health advice on hand washing and hygiene regarding COVID-19.”

If you have a basic knowledge of plumbing, Irish Water has issued the following advice on what to do in the event you have a frozen or burst pipe. Otherwise contact a plumber if you are unsure what to do.

Turn off the water supply, this will limit the amount of leakage or damage if a pipe bursts:

• Find and turn off your inside stop valve
• Turn off the stopcock in your cold water tank, usually located in the attic

Locate the pipe:

• Check the water pressure in appliances such as taps and toilets to see if it is lower than usual
• Locate the general area where you think there may be a frozen pipe
• Check for visible pipes that are not insulated, pipes that feel much colder than others, have nearby draughts or damage
• Turn on nearby cold taps to relieve pressure on the frozen pipe. NEVER turn on the hot taps

Thaw the pipe:

• If the pipe and fittings are not cracked or broken, you can try gently thawing the pipe
• Protect or move anything which might be damaged if the pipe bursts when thawed
• Use a hairdryer on the lowest setting to gently warm the pipe, starting at the end nearest the tap

NEVER attempt to thaw out frozen pipes by switching on your immersion, central heating, blow torch etc.

What to do if you have a burst pipe: A burst pipe can cause serious damage to your home so it is important to take action as soon as possible.

Limit the damage:

• Turn off the water supply as instructed above
• Drain the system by turning on all the cold water taps and flushing the toilets
• Switch off the central heating and immersion. If you use solid fuel, let it die out
• When the water heating is completely off, turn on the hot taps to further drain the system
• If water from a burst pipe is leaking near any sockets, switches or appliances, switch off the mains if it is safe to do so. If the switch is wet, do not touch it, instead call a qualified electrician
• If you have a shared water supply e.g. if you live in an apartment complex, ensure you have access to the stop cock. This is usually located where the water supply enters the building
• Check with your neighbours that turning off the water has not affected their supply

Get it repaired:

• You can make a temporary repair to a burst pipe by binding it tightly with a cloth or tape.
• Replace this as soon as possible by a permanent repair, carried out by a qualified and registered plumber.
• Ensure your hot water system is refilled BEFORE you switch back on your immersion or boiler.