What to Do If Your Pipes Freeze This Winter in Andover

Published October 2026 | Frozen Pipes

You wake up on a cold January morning, turn on the kitchen tap, and nothing comes out. You check the bathroom - same story. A wave of dread sets in as you realise your pipes have frozen overnight, and you can't tell whether they've already split somewhere inside the walls.

Understanding What's Actually Happening When Pipes Freeze

When water freezes, it expands by around nine percent. Inside a rigid copper or plastic pipe, that expansion has nowhere to go. The pressure that builds up is what causes the real damage - not the ice itself, but what happens when that pressure finds the weakest point in the system. In many cases, the pipe doesn't split at the frozen section. It fails somewhere else along the run, often at a joint or fitting, and you won't know about it until the ice melts and water starts appearing in places it definitely shouldn't.

In Andover and across Hampshire, the temperatures that trigger this problem typically arrive between December and February, when overnight lows consistently drop below minus three or minus four degrees Celsius. Pipes that run through unheated spaces - lofts, garages, under floors, or against external walls - lose heat faster than the water inside them can stay at a safe temperature, making them the most vulnerable points in your system.

The distinction between a frozen pipe and a burst pipe matters enormously. A frozen pipe is a problem you can potentially manage yourself. A burst pipe is an emergency that needs a plumber.

The Most Common Causes of Frozen Pipes

Uninsulated pipes in the loft

Loft pipes are among the most common casualties of a cold snap. Lofts in most homes are well insulated at floor level to keep heat inside the living spaces - which is exactly the problem. That insulation keeps cold air trapped up there with the pipes. Hot and cold water tanks, the pipes feeding them, and any overflow pipes running through the loft are all exposed to outdoor-equivalent temperatures the moment a hard frost sets in. Catching exposed loft pipes before the first proper cold snap, rather than after, is the most effective preventative step you can take - a length of lagging foam costs very little compared to the cost of a burst.

Outside taps and exposed pipework

Outside taps are almost always the first to freeze because their supply pipes typically run through an external wall with minimal protection. A garden tap supply pipe that hasn't been isolated and drained before winter is extremely vulnerable. The same applies to any pipework running through an unheated outbuilding, garage, or porch that isn't thermally separated from the outside air. If you have an isolation valve on the outside tap supply, closing it and draining the pipe before the cold arrives takes about five minutes and prevents the most common freeze scenario our engineers deal with.

Pipes running against external walls

This one catches a lot of homeowners off guard. If a pipe runs along an external wall - particularly in an older Hampshire property where the walls are solid brick rather than cavity-insulated - cold conducts through the wall and chills the pipe from the outside in. Kitchen sink pipes beneath an outside wall, and pipes running to washing machines or dishwashers on external walls, are the usual suspects. You don't need to relocate the pipe to solve this - foam lagging around the exposed section is usually enough.

Leaving the central heating off during a cold spell

Switching the heating off entirely when you go away in winter is one of the most reliable ways to return to a burst pipe. The house temperature drops steadily over 24 to 48 hours, and without any heat source, uninsulated pipe runs will eventually freeze. Even setting your thermostat to 10 or 12 degrees Celsius while you're away is enough to prevent this in most cases. It costs a little more in heating bills, but it costs considerably less than an emergency repair and water damage claim.

Solutions That Actually Work

If you've turned on a tap and nothing comes out, work through the following steps methodically. Don't panic, and don't take shortcuts.

Step 1: Turn off the main stopcock immediately. Your stopcock is usually under the kitchen sink or where the supply pipe enters the building. Closing it now limits the water available to flood your home if a pipe has already burst and is simply waiting to release when it thaws. This is non-negotiable - do it before anything else.

Step 2: Open the taps on the affected run. Once you've shut off the stopcock, open the relevant taps. This releases pressure as the ice melts and gives the water somewhere to go when the thaw comes. Don't skip this step.

Step 3: Locate the frozen section. Feel along accessible pipes for an unusually cold or frosty spot - the pipe may feel slightly firm or have visible ice on it. Check the loft, under the kitchen sink, the airing cupboard, and anywhere near an external wall.

Step 4: Apply gentle, even heat. A hot water bottle, a warm damp cloth wrapped around the pipe, or a hairdryer on a low or medium setting are all effective methods. Start at the end of the frozen section closest to the tap and work back toward the feed. This encourages the melt to move away from the affected area rather than building further pressure.

Step 5: Check for leaks once thawed. Acting quickly and checking the full pipe run after thawing can prevent further issues and help restore your plumbing safely, as WaterSafe advises. Turn the water back on slowly at the stopcock and inspect every joint and fitting along the thawed section. If you see any weeping or dripping at all, shut it off again and call a plumber.

If water is already coming through a ceiling, wall, or floor, don't attempt to thaw the pipe yourself. Turn off the stopcock, open all taps to drain residual pressure, switch off the electricity at the consumer unit if water is near anything electrical, and call a plumber immediately.

When You Need a Professional vs. Sorting It Yourself

You can reasonably attempt to thaw a frozen pipe yourself if the frozen section is accessible and visible, the pipe shows no signs of cracking or distortion, no water is currently escaping anywhere in the property, and the freeze is clearly localised to one obvious spot such as an outside tap supply line.

Call a plumber if you cannot locate the frozen section, water is already escaping, the frozen pipe is behind a wall or under a floor, you've thawed the pipe and it's dripping at a joint, or there's any possibility the pipe has already split along its length.

A burst pipe is rightly described as a homeowner's worst nightmare. The water damage that follows a burst in a loft can travel through multiple floors and cause far more destruction than the original plumbing repair. Ceiling replacements, floor drying, and mould remediation all cost significantly more than an emergency call-out.

Our engineers use the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic tool to help homeowners in Andover quickly identify whether they're dealing with a contained freeze or a more serious leak situation - giving you a clear picture of what needs to happen before anyone picks up a tool.

What to Expect From a Repair Visit

Cost is the first thing most people want to know, and it's a fair question. An emergency call-out from a plumber in the Hampshire area for a frozen or burst pipe typically costs between 150 and 350 pounds, depending on when you call, how long the job takes, and whether any materials are needed. Out-of-hours and weekend call-outs sit at the higher end of that range.

If a pipe has burst and needs replacing, expect to add the cost of materials and any access work required. Cutting into plasterboard, lifting floorboards, or working in a confined loft space all add time to the job. A pipe repair where access is clear and easy typically takes one to two hours. A repair involving hidden pipework can take considerably longer and may require a second visit if structural access is needed.

When the engineer arrives, they'll need to locate and confirm the freeze or burst, isolate the affected section of the system, drain the relevant pipework, carry out the repair or replacement, and then test the full run under pressure before reopening the supply. After the repair, a thorough plumber will also check the surrounding pipework for any stress damage caused by the freeze - joints that have been under high pressure during a freeze can sometimes fail days later if not inspected.

For preventative insulation work - lagging loft pipes, fitting a foam sleeve to an outside tap supply pipe, or installing a frost thermostat on your heating system - expect to pay between 80 and 200 pounds depending on the extent of the work required. This is almost always money well spent when set against the cost of a burst and the water damage that follows.

Common Questions from Andover Homeowners

How long does it take for a pipe to freeze?

In sustained temperatures below minus five degrees Celsius overnight, an uninsulated pipe in an unheated loft or garage can freeze within six to eight hours. Pipes against external walls in older Hampshire properties with solid brick construction can freeze faster because cold conducts directly through the wall. During a typical UK cold snap with overnight lows of minus two or minus three, the risk is highest in the early morning hours after temperatures have had the whole night to fall. If a hard frost is forecast, take preventative steps the evening before.

Can I use a heat gun or blowtorch to thaw a frozen pipe?

No - avoid both of these. They apply concentrated heat that can cause the pipe to split from thermal shock, particularly on older copper pipework that may already be under stress from the freeze. There's also a serious fire risk near pipe lagging, loft insulation, and timber joists. Use a hairdryer on a low setting, a warm cloth, or a hot water bottle instead. These methods are slower but they won't turn a frozen pipe into a burst one or create a secondary problem you didn't have before.

Most standard UK buildings insurance policies cover escape of water damage caused by a burst pipe, but the detail varies between providers. Some policies require you to show that the property was kept adequately heated during a cold spell - which is one reason leaving the heating off entirely while you're away can cause problems beyond the pipe damage itself. Check your policy wording carefully and notify your insurer as soon as possible after a burst, before any major repairs are carried out. Keep photos of the damage and any receipts.

What's the best way to stop pipes freezing next winter?

The most effective steps are insulating loft pipes and the cold water tank before the cold arrives, insulating any pipework running through unheated spaces like garages or outbuildings, fitting an isolation valve to outside tap supply pipes and draining them before the first frost, and setting your thermostat to hold at least 10 degrees if you're going away. These measures cost relatively little to put in place and reliably prevent the most common freeze scenarios our engineers deal with in Andover homes each winter.