Thames Water shares tips for preparing homes for the winter

Thames Water says a new study it has conducted shows more than a quarter of people have not prepared their homes for the winter.

The UK’s largest water company, Thames Water, is urging the Swindon public to be 'winter ready' this year.

The company says it wishes to help prevent customers experiencing costly repair bills, resulting from broken boilers, leaks and bursts in their homes.

Thames Water said its recent survey of 2000 people revealed, due to the cost of living, that 26% are sacrificing winter-proofing their home.

Additionally, 21% of people were found to have admitted to not being good enough or have no experience when it comes to winter proofing the home.

Thames Water has subsequently created a list of simple and practical winter readiness tips and videos to help customers protect their homes.

Many of these hacks are free or cost little to run, such as individuals locating a stop tap so they can quickly turn off their water in an emergency, bleeding radiators to make sure they are working efficiently, and insulating internal pipes.

Nina White, Thames Water Director of Financial Customer Care said: “The last thing anyone wants this Christmas is a burst water pipe in their home. As the weather starts to get colder, there are a lot of small things we can all do to help keep our homes warm and reduce the risk of pipes becoming stressed or even bursting.

“Our easy and practical winter readiness tips are free or cost very little but can save a lot in the long run – a leaking pipe or a burst pipe in the home is expensive to repair and can cause a lot of damage.”

Despite many customers being concerned about the cost of living over the winter period, Thames Water said its survey found more than a third of people (38%) are unaware of any support services offered by their utility companies and 15% are too embarrassed to reach out for help.

Thames Water says it offers a range of financial support schemes for its customers, and currently supports over 300,000 households with discounted bills.

More information about the various support schemes can be found online at https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/account-and-billing/financial-support

Its WaterHelp scheme is said to offer a 50% discount on customer’s bills if they are on a low income. The company has also recently increased the income eligibility threshold for this scheme to £17,005 in the Thames Valley and £21,749 in London.

This is four months earlier than increases are normally applied to help more customers cope with the cost of living crisis.

Nina White added: “Our winter readiness tips don’t just keep the water flowing where it should be: our taps, toilets and home appliances, but can also save money on heating and energy bills. However, we know the cost of living crisis is impacting our customers and we’re here to help.

“As well as checking if they qualify for financial support, customers can go to our website and set up a payment plan as it’s the best way to help spread the cost of their water bill over a year. If customers are still struggling, we ask that they get in touch so we can understand their individual needs and support with a more tailored plan.”

Thames Water says its WaterSure scheme provides a cap on bills if individuals are on a water meter and use a larger amount of water because of a big family, or a water-dependent medical condition.

The company adds that it also offers tailored support schemes to help customers to clear debts and can set up payment plans if customers need flexibility during difficult times. 

Thames Water’s Winter Ready Hacks:

Thames Water has collated some of the best tips to help people prepare their home for winter, and to save water.

Lots of these hacks are said to be free or cost very little. They are as follows:

• It usually costs around £1.75 a metre to insulate a pipe – so about £20 to insulate a typical household’s internal pipework.
• Remember to insulate outdoor and garden pipes too.
• It is essential to know where your stop tap is as it can limit property damage if a pipe bursts/leaks.
• Remember to bleed radiators. Trapped air makes your radiators less efficient. Use a radiator key (about £1 from a DIY shop) to let air out and keep radiators toasty.
• If you’re feeling creative, cover some card with foil and slide it behind your radiator. This will reflect heat back into the room, warming it up faster and saving you as much as £17 a year on bills.
• Pop on fewer laundry loads – one less load a week (washing at 30°C) could save you as much as £34 a year.
• Boil only the water you need – avoid overfilling the kettle to save an extra £13 a year
• Fix leaks: If you’re on a meter, fixing dripping taps and leaky loos could save you money on your water bill.
• Clear your drains and gutters.