Burst Pipe Winter in Esher
A homeowner in Esher called on a Saturday morning in January. A pipe had burst in their garage overnight and water had flooded the garage floor and was seeping under the internal d...
Response time
55 minutes
Time on site
3 hours
Cost range
£235
Warranty
12 months
The Problem
A homeowner in Esher called on a Saturday morning in January. A pipe had burst in their garage overnight and water had flooded the garage floor and was seeping under the internal door into the hallway. The homeowner had turned off the stopcock but water was still draining from the system.
The temperature had dropped to -6°C overnight. The property had a utility area in the garage with a copper supply pipe to a sink that had frozen and split.
The Diagnosis
We accessed the garage and found a 15mm copper supply pipe to the utility sink had split along a 3-inch section where it ran along an exterior wall with no insulation. The pipe had frozen solid and the expansion had split the copper along its length.
The garage was unheated and the pipework had no insulation. The split was on the underside of the pipe, which had been slowly dripping before the homeowner discovered it. The garage floor was saturated.
The Repair
We isolated the water supply at the main stopcock, cut out the split section of copper pipe, and replaced it with a new section joined with compression fittings. We then lagged the entire pipe run in the garage with foam insulation to prevent future freezing.
We also recommended that the homeowner consider trace heating cable for the pipe run or relocating the pipework to an internal wall. The garage was mopped and the homeowner was advised to use a dehumidifier to dry the space.
Isolated supply and cut out split pipe section
Replaced with new copper and compression fittings
Lagged full pipe run with foam insulation
Outcome & Advice to the Homeowner
The burst pipe was repaired and the water supply restored to the garage. The homeowner was advised to monitor for any further leaks and to keep the garage door closed during cold weather. The pipework was now insulated and protected from future freezing.
We recommended insulating all exposed pipework in unheated spaces — garage, loft, outbuildings — before the next winter, and offered to return and complete this work.
Job Summary
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