Overview
- Amber and yellow snow and ice warnings remain in force, with temperatures as low as -11.7C recorded at Loch Glascarnoch.
- British Gas says frozen pipes are cutting heating and hot water and expects about 50,000 households to need help this week.
- Officials urge residents to locate and label their internal stop tap with a WaterSafe-approved plumber’s details using a simple gift tag.
- For suspected frozen pipes, identify the likely section—often a boiler’s external condensate pipe—then thaw slowly with hot (not boiling) water or a hot-water bottle before resetting the boiler.
- If a pipe bursts, turn off the stopcock immediately, open taps to drain the system, keep the supply off, and wait for a qualified engineer, while also insulating exposed pipes and covering outdoor taps to prevent further issues.