Leaks and burst pipes

Leaks and burst water pipes can cause a lot of damage to a property and need to be addressed as quickly as possible.

Water leaks

If you think you have a water leak at your property, there are several things you can do to help identify where the leak is and how to tackle it quickly. If you have a smart meter Anglian Water has the following advice.

If you do not have a smart meter, Anglian Water advises you take the following steps.

Burst pipes

If you own your home, you're responsible for insulating and protecting all inside pipework. In rented accommodation, landlords are responsible. You can reduce the risk of burst or frozen pipes in your home by taking the following precautions:  

• insulate your loft and your water tanks
• insulate all your pipes
• open the loft trap door on cold days to let warm air circulate
• if you're going away for a winter break, leave the heating on low if you can. Most modern boilers have a frost protection thermostat so that they come on automatically if the temperature drops too low
• ask a friend or relative to pop round and check that pipes haven't burst or frozen
• replace washers in dripping taps - a slow drip or trickle can freeze and eventually block a waste pipe completely
• make sure you know where your stop tap is and check regularly that you can turn it off easily