How to Prep For Your DIY So You Don’t Burst a Pipe (Pt 1)

There’s something about summer that inspires homeowners to want to crack on with some good, old fashioned DIY. Whether you’re redecorating on a whim or getting stuck in to all the jobs you’v e put off over winter, we all get the itch.

But from small jobs like hanging pictures on the wall, to fitting shelves or TVs, you’ll want to make sure you pre-plan to avoid any potential mishaps. Modern walls are often full of piping and electrical wiring that you’re going to want to plan around when drilling into walls. A few minutes planning could save you a lot of stress and a hefty repair bill. 

Before any DIY, we think it’s always best to prepare for the worst case scenario, so we recommend getting a few things together in advance. Here’s our guide to preparing to minimise your chances of an unwanted leak:

1. Locate any pipes or wiring

Simply by looking, you’re probably going to have a tough time figuring out what’s on the other side of a wall. To find out, you’re going to want to use a stud finder to help you find any pipes, wiring or studs. If you don’t already have one, you can pick one up fairly cheaply from most DIY stores. Whilst not faultless, they’re the best way to minimise your chances of an unwanted indoor swimming pool.

2. Locate your stop tap 

If you know where it is, you know where to head if a pipe bursts. This will shut off the water to your home until you can sort a proper solution to the burst pipe. We’d also recommend testing it beforehand to make sure that it works. Generally these are in accessible locations, such as in your bathroom or kitchen. Sometimes in older houses, they can be located in the cellar or basement.

3. Keep a bucket on hand! 

It may sound comical, but if you’re unfortunate enough to receive and unwanted shower, you’re going to want something to stop as much water spraying over your floor and home as possible

If you’ve followed the above 3 steps, you’re as prepared as you can be for your DIY. Stay tuned for next week for our part 2 where we talk about what to do if you do hit a water pipe.

For all your plumbing and gas problems, please call us at Hunsbury Heating on 07919 008441. We specialise in boiler installlation, servicing and repair, as well as bathrooms and general plumbing.