Plumbers Urge Householders to Take Simple Steps to Avoid Frozen or Burst Pipes During Cold Snap

EDINBURGH, Scotland, December 1, 2010 - The current spell of severe cold weather has the potential of causing
misery for thousands of householders in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
However, by taking a few simple steps to protect their plumbing and heating
systems householders can avoid both considerable inconvenience and damage to
their home and belongings.

Robert Burgon, Director and Secretary of SNIPEF (The Scottish and
Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers' Federation), said, "Following a
prolonged spell of cold weather, our member businesses often receive hundreds
of calls from concerned firms and homeowners who have experienced flooding
caused by a burst pipe.

"Frozen water in pipes expands, often causing them to burst once the thaw
sets in, but a few simple precautions taken now can prevent customers finding
themselves up to their ankles in cold water and facing thousands of pounds
worth of flood damage to their property."

With temperatures forecast to drop significantly you can significantly
reduce the risk of burst pipes within your home or office premises by
following these precautions:

PLUMBING TOP TIPS

1 Keep your property warm with the heating on low, even if you are away
from home. Leave a key with someone who can check it regularly for frozen
pipes.

2 Make sure any exposed pipe work or tanks especially in attics are
insulated.

3 Find out where your mains stopcock is and make sure it works.

4 Dripping water increases the risk of freezing, so have any leaks at
taps or valves repaired as soon as you discover them.

5 If a pipe does burst contact your local SNIPEF registered plumber or
visit www.needaplumber.org or call +44(0)845-224-0391

Notes for editors

1 SNIPEF (Scottish & Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers' Federation) was
established in 1923 and has just under 800 member businesses, which employ
nearly 4500 operatives.

For more information contact Alan Wilson on +44(0)131-225-2255 or +44(0)7801-741351