Is your business prepared for winter?

The colder weather can bring certain challenges for business owners, especially when it comes to water management. Read our quick tips to make sure your premises are protected from the frost this winter.

Keep buildings warm and insulate pipes

With sub-zero temperatures causing pipes to break and leak, the winter months are always the busiest for our leak detection team. Keeping your premises warm and insulating your pipes can stop your pipes from bursting.

Know what’s what (and where) when it comes to water

It might sound simple, but make sure you familiarise yourself with where all the stopcocks are at your site(s), and how to use them so that you can easily turn off the water if needed.

Keep service schedules up to date

Pipes that are old or that haven’t been taken care of are more likely to break when we hit a cold snap, so it’s important to keep on top of servicing with your facilities management team. Ensure boilers are regularly serviced and make sure repairs are completed as soon as possible.

Be aware of your consumption

A burst pipe losing 1500 litres per hour, could easily cost £41,000 per year if left undetected, so it’s important to be aware of your water consumption so that you can detect anything unusual early. Not all leaks are easy to spot, and with many business sites empty or at reduced capacity due to the current restrictions, there could be further delays in detecting a leak.

This is where data loggers can help. They will give you a comprehensive understanding of your water usage and help you identify anything unusual, so you can act quickly and avoid excessive water bills.

A note on water billing…

If your site has been affected by the ongoing restrictions and your business is closed, it might be worth contacting your water retailer to ensure that they understand your current situation. Some retailers may try to invoice your business based on large, estimated readings, so speak to them to avoid inaccurate bills.

To speak to us about leak detection, or any aspect of water management, call us on 01772 689 250 or email [email protected]

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