Prevention is better than a cure. Check the insulation on all your pipes and tanks in unheated and external spaces.

Know where your main stopcock is located and periodically check that it works by opening and shutting it so it does not seize up.

The most important action to take is to turn off the main stop cock and run the taps allowing the all the water to drain. Be careful of wet or moist electrics and if necessary turn off the power at your main board to be safe. While the water in a pipe is frozen there is danger of a flood damage but it’s when it thaws that the fun really begins, so if you believe a pipe is frozen act with all haste turn off the water and check for signs of pipe splits damage or blown joints, repair if possible or call a local plumber.

If during a very cold spell of weather the worst happens and you have a burst or leaking pipe, you will not be alone and it is at this time that plumbers can be very busy indeed, so if you know how to turn off the incoming water supply and how to drain the roof storage tanks you will spare yourself a awful lot of grief!

A southport local plumbing company April 2013

One easy way to save water if you have an older WC toilet cistern that flushes nine litres or more is to add a small balloon filled with water, which ever will fit best. The cold water flush will be reduced by the volume of water in the balloon . You should place the balloon so that it does not get in the way of the movement of the ball valve float. Newer cisterns only flush six litres of water so adding a balloon or other water saving device is not beneficial and may cause you to use even more water, with repeated flushing necessary but many have dual flush buttons ;small button reduced flush; large button full flush.
Make sure the balloon used is of a good grade as a burst will over fill your cistern.

pluming advise by a local southport plumbing company march 2013