Burst pipes 'double' in Scotland as cold snap ends - how to fix rapid thawing

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Experts have shared important advice on what to do if your pipes burst as reports have more than doubled following the latest deep freeze.Scottish Water has warned that its network has seen a demand for extra water of up to 100 million litres since last Thursday as a result of broken fixtures.Fortunately, the Met Office has a checklist on how to safely handle a burst pipe, which ranges from draining taps to turning off the water supply at its source.Last week, the UK was plunged into some of the coldest conditions seen in years, with temperatures plummeting to as low as -17C in parts of Scotland.

A major incident in Shetland was declared due to a black out which saw thousands of homes without electricity. But this Monday has seen the cold snap come to a close with temperatures set to rise to highs as 12 to 13C.

Over the weekend, the country saw ice patches thaw - and the same is happening in our pipes. The national water supplier has said the shift in conditions has had a "significant impact" on supplies across the country.Reports of burst pipes have jumped as high as 150 per cent in areas including Ayrshire, Glasgow, South Lanarkshire, West Lothian and Stirling, but this figure is likely to be higher.Kevin Roy, customer service general manager at Scottish Water, said: "On top of the usual daily distribution of water and demand from customers, we've seen an additional 100 million litres a day flowing through the network and unfortunately that's the result of leaks and bursts."The deep freeze has developed into a quick thaw with temperatures on the increase, leaving some pipes cracked.

Some bursts will be very visible and in publicly accessible places, others on private property which is the responsibility of the key