If severe frost is forecast, or it is currently below freezing you should leave your heating on day and night at your usual temperature setting. This will help to stop your pipes freezing.

Open your attic trap door. This allows warm air from other parts of the house to circulate into the attic, and will help prevent pipes freezing. This is especially important if you know your pipe lagging is below standard. If your lagging and pipe insulation is below standard you should have it improved as soon as possible!

Do not switch on or light any water heating appliances whether fuelled by gas, oil, solid-fuel or electricity.

Examine the water system for fractures in pipes and fittings, also for any sign of pipes being pulled from their joints. The presence of ice on the outside of a pipe is often an indication that it has burst.

     If you notice any of these symptoms TURN     OFF the controlling STOP WATER VALVE and     call a plumber.

If no damage is visible open all taps and try to thaw out pipework with an electric fan heater or hairdryer. Start at an open end and work back from it. Cloths soaked in hot water can also be placed on the pipe. Heat the dwelling generally with appliances not connected with domestic hot water or water-based central heating.

    If the house has to be left unattended for     any reason, shut off the main stop water     valve and drain down whatever can be     drained.

Turn off the water at the main stop water valve. If there is a stop water valve fitted on the outlet pipe from the header tank, this should be turned off too. Do this even if you only suspect your pipes are frozen, since they could also have burst, and, by turning off the water, you will reduce the amount of water that can escape, and so minimise damage to your home.

Before you start to thaw the system, do what you can to protect or remove anything that might be damaged by thawing water running from the burst pipe. Cover any electrical junction boxes and wiring to keep water off.

Open the tap closest to the frozen part of the pipe.

Begin thawing the pipe from the tap side of the frozen area, by warming it gently, and work back towards the header tank.

Thaw the pipe using a hairdryer or hot water bottle - DO NOT USE A BLOW LAMP OR HEAT GUN.

Switch off the central heating and any other water heating installations at the same time, to avoid further damage, or even an explosion.

Open all your taps to drain the system.

Turn off the water at the main stop water valve.

If water is coming through the ceiling, collect it in buckets. If the ceiling starts to bulge, pierce the plaster with a broom handle to let the water through.

If your wiring, or any electrical appliances have been affected, do not touch them until they have been checked by a professional electrician. If in doubt, turn off your electricity at the mains.

If the flow of water cannot be stopped, open all the cold taps to drain the system.

If the burst is on a pipe from the storage tank, turn off the stop water valve at the storage tank, turn on all hot taps to drain the system, allow the any heating fire to burn out or turn the heating off until the burst pipe has been attended to by a plumber.

If insured with Allianz contact the Allianz Helpline, to advise you on contacting a professional plumber to make repairs.

Leave windows, doors and built-in cupboards open during the day, if possible.

Keep affected rooms heated, but do not over-heat them, as this could result in further damage. Do not use gas storage heaters as this will increase moisture and cause excessive condensation.

Store damaged items in a dry place - your insurer may want to inspect them.

The advice above is designed to address immediate action against freezing in your occupied home.