As temperatures drop again this week, people across the Bath area are being urged to find and check their stop tap.
Knowing where your stop tap is can be very useful in emergencies | Photo courtesy of Wessex Water
Wessex Water is making the appeal to residents, after helping hundreds of people whose homes have been flooded internally, often during cold weather when a frozen pipe bursts.
Turning off the stop tap shuts off a property’s water supply, minimising the damage if the worst should happen.
The stop tap is normally found under the kitchen sink, in an airing cupboard or an adjoining garage.
It can be closed by turning it clockwise, and testing it regularly means it won’t seize up.
A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “We’ve visited more than 300 properties with internal flooding in the last year alone, and customers who call us often aren’t sure where their stop tap is or how it works. A simple check now could avoid a lot of that stress.”
Lagging pipes can stop them from freezing during cold weather | Photo courtesy of Wessex Water
Wessex Water is also recommending people lag their pipes to prevent them from freezing or bursting, which can leave homes without water as well as cause flooding.
More help and advice on protecting your home is available at www.wessexwater.co.uk/cold-weather.
