Winter is certainly in full swing now, as most of the UK experienced freezing temperatures earlier this week. And with icy conditions comes an increased chance of frozen pipes, causing serious damage to homes around the country.

According to Direct Line Home Insurance, more than £21 million is claimed in frozen pipe damages a year, which averages out at £250,000 every single day, reported the Mirror.

Head of home insurance at Direct Line Dan Simson reminded households of the magnitude of the problem of frozen pipes, saying: “A burst pipe can not only be inconvenient and unpleasant, but it can be an expensive issue to fix, often leaving households without heating or water for days and costing thousands of pounds to remedy.”

He noted that a burst pipe – caused when ice expands inside a pipe causing it to break – can leak as much as 30 gallons of water in two minutes once it thaws.

The best way to avoid frozen pipes this winter is to have the heating on at a constant 15 degrees C; lag external pipes to boilers; and open the loft hatch so warm air can circulate around pipes in their as well.

According to the insurance provider, this advice is particularly important for those living in Dalwhinnie in Scotland, where the average temperature during winter is -2.39C, in comparison with 2.54C in west London.

Last year, many Brits experienced huge problems with regards to frozen pipes due to the Beast from the East, which showered the country in snow and ice until March.

Once you have made sure your pipes are adequately protected, you might want to improve the quality of your water supply. For water softeners in Beaconsfield, take a look here.