Irish households urged to follow five steps to protect their home ahead of cold snap

With temperatures beginning to drop and the first frosts of winter due this week across parts of Ireland, Uisce Éireann is offering advice on how to avoid the inconvenience and expense of burst pipes and water outages during cold weather.

A Status Yellow Snow and Ice Warning has been issued for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim and Sligo which is due to come into effect from midnight tonight until 12pm on Thursday as temperatures are set to plummet.

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Wintry showers of hail, sleet and snow are expected, with some modest accumulations in places, especially on high ground with impacts including hazardous travelling conditions and icy stretches. Motorists are advised to drive with caution.

Uisce Éireann has warned households to be vigilant in the coming days as water expands by nearly 10% when frozen, which can cause even new pipes to split, leading to leaks and flooding.

Top Tips to Stay Winter Ready

• Insulate exposed pipes and water tanks: Lagging material helps prevent freezing and heat loss.
• Fix dripping taps: Even small leaks can freeze and block pipes.
• Service your boiler: an efficient boiler will keep your home warm and also help to reduce your energy use.
• Locate your stop valve: Know how to turn off water quickly in an emergency.
• Minimise draughts: Cold air coming from outside can cause pipes to freeze inside your home

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Sign up for Uisce Éireann’s free text alert service to stay informed about water outages and works in your area by simply visiting water.ie and entering your phone number and address.

Margaret Attridge, Uisce Éireann’s head of water operations, said:

"We know from previous winters that freezing conditions can cause significant disruption for homes and businesses across the country. By taking simple steps now—like insulating pipes and checking stop valves —you can prevent costly damage and help keep water flowing for everyone.

"Our crews are ready to respond, but prevention is always better than cure."

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Margaret is also advising that people should not leave taps running as this will not necessarily prevent pipes from freezing and can impact on your local water supply.

"We also recommend that people don't run taps continually as this is not an effective way of preventing frozen pipes and can cause other problems such as frozen drains. It also puts further pressure on water supplies that may already be challenged by the freezing conditions.”

Visit https://www.water.ie/winterproofing for step-by-step guidance and videos on protecting your home.