Keeping warm

If you’re going away, even just for one night and the weather is extremely cold, turn off the water at the main stopcock and drain the system by turning on the taps.

Stopcocks are usually found in the cupboard under the kitchen sink. In some homes they can be found in the airing/boiler cupboard or in a cupboard under the stairs.

Remember: although your building is insured by Soha, we don’t insure your contents, so any damage to your personal possessions caused by a leak will not be covered. Insurance for contents including your carpets, furniture and all of your other possessions can and should be bought separately.

If you have frozen pipes, you may hear the central heating system gurgling, your boiler will not turn on, your taps may not produce much water, the sink may be clogged, or the toilet may take a long time to flush.

In the first instance, you should turn your heating up and open all internal doors (cupboards and room doors) to circulate the heat.

You can also blow air on the pipes using a hairdryer (on a low setting). We do not advise using hot water bottles or hot water on internal pipes as this may cause them to split if they thaw to quickly.

If these attempts do not resolve the situation, please get in touch on 0800 014 15 45 (Freephone) and we can advise further.

If you have frozen pipes, you may hear the central heating system gurgling, your boiler will not turn on, your taps may not produce much water, the sink may be clogged, or the toilet may take a long time to flush.

You’ll need to find your boilers waste pipe which is located outside and place a hot water bottle on the pipe. If this does not thaw the pipe, you can pour hot (but not boiling) water over the pipe.

Once the pipe has thawed, your boiler should work again.

Make sure to check other areas where pipes are exposed to the cold including the loft, basement or any outbuildings.

For detailed instructions on these steps, please see this video from British Gas.

If these attempts do not resolve the situation, please get in touch on 0800 014 15 45 (Freephone) and we can advise further.

The signs of a burst pipe or leak is persistent water pressure issues or interrupted water supply to your taps, water marks or patches appearing on your walls or ceiling, bulging on the walls or ceiling, or damp patches appearing on the floor.

• Turn off the water at the main stopcock
• Turn off back boilers and immersion heaters. Gas-fired back boiler can be used, but only as gas fires
• Turn on all your taps and drain the system and make sure there are no water in the pipes
• Wrap cloth tightly around any leaks and phone 0800 014 15 45 (Freephone).
• Turn off the electricity at the mains if water has touched the electrics and ask us to check them before switching them back on

If you can, try pouring warm water over the frozen overflow. Hopefully this will be enough to thaw it out. Make sure that the heating is on and open the doors to let the warm air circulate. If the pipe is indoors, you could try using a hairdryer to thaw the pipes – but remember to take care when using electrical equipment near water!

If your gutter is leaking then we will repair it, but it won’t be a high priority.

If your heating isn’t working please report it to Soha immediately on 0800 014 15 45 (Freephone)  and we’ll aim to repair it within 24 hours.

If your heating breaks down out of office hours or at the weekend please call our out of hours service immediately on 0800 014 15 45 (Freephone). Again we’ll aim to repair it within 24 hours of you reporting the issue to us.

If the heating can’t be fixed during the initial visit, because for example specialist parts are required, you will be offered 2 plug in oil filled radiators to provide you with heat.

If specialist parts are required to repair your heating/ hot water system they will be ordered the next working day and fitted as soon as they arrive.

Please report this to Soha. Until we have repaired the seals, you could try using draught excluders along the bottom of doors. Closing your curtains will also help to prevent draughts and keep warmth in.

Your local council will fill salt/grit bins at the start of the season. The bins are usually green or yellow and you may help yourself to what you need. In an emergency, dishwasher salt or cat litter works as well. You can find your local council here.