Brighton + Hove + Sussex
No water from the taps on a freezing morning, or a boiler that's stopped because its condensate pipe has frozen? A frozen pipe is a warning, and a split pipe can flood the house the moment the ice thaws. We thaw pipes safely, repair any damage and protect them for next time.
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Frozen Pipes
Water expands as it freezes, and that pressure has to go somewhere. In a pipe, it usually splits a joint or the pipe wall itself. The damage often stays hidden while the pipe is frozen solid, then starts pouring as soon as it thaws. That's why a frozen pipe needs dealing with carefully, not just warmed up and forgotten.
The pipes most at risk are the ones in cold places: lofts, garages, outside walls, under suspended floors and outside taps. Condensing boilers also have a plastic condensate pipe that often runs outside, and when it freezes the boiler locks out. In a cold snap that's one of the most common calls we get.
We thaw pipes gently, check every frozen section for splits, repair any damage and lag exposed pipework so it's better protected next winter. If a boiler fault turns out to be more than a frozen condensate pipe, we'll tell you straight away whether a Gas Safe registered engineer is needed.
Sound Familiar?
It's easy to miss a frozen pipe until the tap runs dry or the thaw starts dripping through a ceiling.
Turn off the water at the stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, before anything starts to thaw. If a pipe has already split, switch off the boiler and immersion heater, then open the cold taps to drain the system down.
Thaw pipes slowly with a hot water bottle or warm towels, working back from the tap end. Never use a blowtorch or naked flame. If water is dripping near electrics, keep away and switch off at the fuse box only if it's safe to reach.
For a frozen condensate pipe, pour warm, not boiling, water over the outside section, then reset the boiler as its instructions say. If you can't reach the pipe safely, leave it and call us.
Call an Emergency Plumber NowWhat To Expect
Tell us what's happening. A real plumber picks up, evenings, weekends and bank holidays included.
You get a realistic arrival window and our call-out rate up front, before anyone sets off.
Water off and the area made safe first, then we trace the actual cause and explain it in plain English.
Vans stocked with pipe, fittings and valves fix most problems on the first visit. Anything we can't finish that night is isolated and made watertight.
Why Choose Us
Committed to Quality and Care
Proudly serving our community with reliable, high-quality plumbing work you can count on.
Our qualified, fully insured plumbers bring expertise, care and precision to every single call.
We respect your time and budget, delivering results without delays or excuses.
Transparent, upfront quotes, with no hidden fees and no surprise out-of-hours mark-ups.
Evenings, weekends and bank holidays. The phone is answered when the leak actually happens.
Pipe, fittings, valves, drain rods and a jetter carried as standard, so most emergency repairs are completed on the first visit.
FAQ
Feel free to contact us for more information
The clearest sign is a tap that gives little or no water in freezing weather when it worked fine the day before. You may also see frost on exposed pipes in the loft or garage, or a toilet that won't refill. If the boiler has stopped and is showing a fault, the condensate pipe outside may be frozen.
Often, yes, if you can reach it safely. Turn the water off at the stopcock first, open the tap it feeds, and warm the pipe gently with a hot water bottle or warm towels, working back from the tap. Never use a naked flame. Watch closely as it thaws: if water starts escaping, the pipe has split and needs repairing.
Find the plastic pipe running from the boiler to a drain outside, and pour warm water, not boiling, along the outside section to thaw it. Once it's clear, reset the boiler following its instructions. If it keeps freezing, it may need rerouting, insulating or upsizing, which we can do. Anything inside the boiler needs a Gas Safe registered engineer, and we'll tell you if that's the case.
Lag pipes in the loft, garage, under floors and on outside walls, and fit an isolation valve to outside taps so they can be drained down before winter. Keep the heating on low if you're away in a cold spell, and make sure you know where your stopcock is. We can lag exposed pipework and fit isolation valves while we're with you.
Emergency Call-Outs
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you straight away whether it needs a plumber tonight or can safely wait until morning. No obligation either way.
