Help and advice for your home
Step 1 - Turn off the stopcock that turns your mains water supply off and on. In many homes, it is in the kitchen below the sink unit or in the front or back hall, where the service pipe comes into your home. It looks a bit like a tap and may be red in colour.
Step 2 - Turn off your electricity, central heating and immersion heater.
Warning: If the damage is serious, turn off the electrical supply completely and leave the house until a qualified electrician tells you that it’s safe to go back. Never touch the electricity supply if you’re standing in water.
Step 3 - Run all the cold and hot water taps to drain the water system.
Step 4 - Use buckets to catch dripping water.
Important: If the ceiling bulges significantly, don’t touch it and stay out of the room.
If your home has been damaged, you probably want to start clearing up. But if you are registering a claim, please make a note of the following – to help support your claim.
You could leave windows and doors open to help dry your property, but please make sure that it’s safe to do so.
You can check the weather forecast wherever you are. The Met Office has a weather feed you could subscribe to.
Pipes that freeze and burst can cause a great deal of damage to your home. Here are some helpful hints to avoid common pipe problems:
It can be difficult to find a plumber, heating engineer or electrician during cold spells. Avoid the rush by getting your central heating and boiler serviced sooner rather than later.
Prepare a list of local plumbers, heating engineers and electricians, plus your utility companies and car breakdown services.
Put our claims line number in your mobile to save time.
Put some basics on standby: candles and matches, a torch (and spare batteries), tinned food, warm clothing, blankets, buckets, salt and/or grit and a shovel.
Bank of Scotland plc is registered in Scotland No.SC327000.Registered Office: The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration no. 169628.