Households across the UK are being urged to attach a gift tag to their stop tap this winter (Image: Getty)
Households across the UK are being urged to attach a gift tag to their stop tap in January.
The measure is part of the ’s WeatherReady campaign to ensure households are prepared for problems brought about by the .
Winter in the UK runs from December to February and is the coldest time of the year, with temperatures typically averaging between 2C and 7C. But the is unpredictable and can often see to just below freezing, which can lead to problems like frozen or damaged pipes.
To help protect against this, households are urged to write the details of a WaterSafe-approved emergency plumber on a spare gift tag and attach it to their property’s stop tap, also known as a stopcock.
Knowing exactly where your stop tap is and how to turn off your water supply is essential as it can help protect your home against flooding and damage if a pipe freezes or bursts in winter.
But according to research by WaterSafe, the national register of qualified and insured plumbers, only 42% of UK households know how to find and use their stop tap to shut off their water in case of a burst pipe.
The stop tap is typically located under the sink in your kitchen, but it could also be housed in a kitchen cupboard, bathroom or your garage.
Julie Spinks, Director at WaterSafe, said: “Our research shows that well under half of us know how to find and use their stop tap, but 15% of people have had a burst pipe in the past, so it’s a real risk in wintry weather.
“Pipes freezing and bursting can cause extensive damage to homes and businesses, but taking simple steps such as knowing where your stop tap is can limit any damage.
“Writing the details of a local WaterSafe-approved plumber on a gift tag and attaching it to the stop tap means people will be able to isolate their water supply and know who to contact should they experience a problem with their property’s plumbing.
“We’d also encourage people to insulate outside pipes and taps, as well as any pipes in unheated areas of the home such as the loft.”
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The says it is crucial that homes know where their stop tap is so they can act quickly to prevent damage to their home, particularly as UK winters usually include a wide variety of weather conditions.
The forecaster adds: “Find it now before a problem occurs and use a spare Christmas present label to write the name and number of a WaterSafe approved emergency plumber on it.
“Once you’ve turned off your stop tap, you can also run cold taps and flush toilets to help drain your plumbing system more quickly, and reducing the amount of water coming out of the pipe.
“If you can, capture some of this tap water for drinking and flushing while your water supply is switched off. Then, contact a WaterSafe approved emergency plumber to fix the pipe and give you advice on preventing it from happening again.”