Frozen pipes and church buildings
28 February 2018
Cold weather can cause freezing to occur in church water pipes, especially if the system has been unused for a number of days. Frozen water inside pipes can cause them to split, producing leaks once thawing occurrs.

If churches are connected to a mains water supply and it is safe to do so then it may be advisable to turn off the stopcock before the system unfreezes.
This can lessen potential damage caused by undiscovered leaks, as the only water likely to flow into the church is what remains in the pipe, rather than it coming straight from the mains in a continuous flow.
More advice regarding frozen pipes and looking after your church building in cold weather can be found on the Ecclesiastical Insurance website.
Please do not make a special journey to your church if travelling conditions are unsafe. People should not put themselves in harm’s way if there is a risk of falling over or slipping on ice and snow.
Categories:
Church buildings