Protect your home against winter weather

Following on from the successful, ‘Don’t Wait. Insulate’ campaign of 2011, NI Water is calling on customers in the Banbridge area to follow a ‘two step pipe check’ which involves checking if pipes are insulated and if they are, ensure the insulation is adequate and still provides protection.

Sean Mc Aleese, Head of Networks Water at NI Water explained:

“Last year was a mild winter, so the urgency to ensure property is protected may slip to the bottom of the ‘to do’ list. However, the threat of a cold winter and burst or frozen pipes is very real and cannot be ignored. Simply check your pipes are protected and if not, take steps to have them well insulated for the coming winter.

“Preparing for the winter cannot be the responsibility of just one party or organisation, we need customers to take the necessary steps to ensure their properties are protected. Simple measures such as lagging pipes, knowing where your stop valve is and having the number of a plumber to hand can all make a huge difference.”

In January 2011 a single burst pipe in a vacant business property lost over 30 million litres of water. The population of Coleraine is just over 24,000. 30 million litres of water could have provided Coleraine with approximately enough water for over 10 days. The water lost in this one leak was also enough to: Supply a family of four for 137 years; Fill 15 million kettles; Make 120 million cups of tea;

You could have 375,000 baths; You could have 850,000 showers; Flush a toilet nearly 3,000,000 times.

NI Water has produced a handy stop valve tag to encourage customers to locate their valve in the event of a burst pipe.

Customers can obtain a free tag by phoning the Waterline number on 08457 440 088, emailing [email protected] or contact through Facebook.

NI Water also has a Customer Care Register which is designed to meet the needs of those requiring extra help or support from the organisation. Joining is simple, customers can phone the Waterline number or obtain further information by visiting www.niwater.com