FloodSax soaking up water from a dripping pipe All these 20 FloodSax alternative sandbags came from this easy-to-carry box FloodSax absorbing water through a leaking supermarket roof to prevent customers and staff from slipping FloodSax below a main boiler pipe to prevent water dripping through the ceiling into a flat below

Average UK insurance claim for frozen pipes which then burst is now £17,000 … but there is a very cost-effective way to mitigate the damage

The risk of frozen pipes is now high across the UK as temperatures plummet to 0°C and then below … and when this happens and the pipe begins to leak you’ve just seconds to react to prevent massive water damage.

According to the Association of British Insurers, home insurers settled around 12,000 weather-related claims for burst pipes in 2023, with the average claim more than £17,000.   

ABI Senior Policy Adviser for General Insurance Louise Clark said: “Cold weather can lead to pipes freezing and bursting and while insurance can protect against the damage it can’t compensate for the stress and misery.”

When water freezes inside pipes it expands, putting the pipe under pressure and in danger of cracking. When the water then unfreezes it will pour out of the crack, ruining everything around it such as cupboards, flooring, skirting boards, plaster boards, electrical appliances … absolutely anything it touches.

This is why people need to be prepared for internal escapes of water 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Towels will make very little difference as the water will soak through them and many pipes burst in places where it’s impossible to get a container or bucket beneath.

One of the most effective ways is to use FloodSax which are multi-purpose and incredibly flexible.

In their dry state they are very flat with a large surface area and an absorbent gelling polymer inside so are ideal to soak up leaks, drips and spills such as beneath sinks, below boilers and even underneath pipes under floorboards.

But immerse them fully in water and the gelling polymer inside the FloodSax absorbs and retains the water, transforming the FloodSax into an instant 20kg sandless sandbag which is a uniform shape so they are easy to handle and stack. This means they can be used as instant sandless sandbags to keep floodwater out too.

Plumber James Lucks, who owns Lux Plumbing and Heating in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, said: “Although water freezes at 0°C this doesn’t mean your pipes will freeze the moment the temperature hits freezing point as many are inside buildings or underground so protected from the severe cold, to a point.

“But if the temperature remains at or below freezing for a while the water in pipes can freeze, especially in those pipes exposed to the cold in unheated areas of the home or business or if they run along exterior walls.

“Frozen pipes which then burst cause immense damage and there’s often little warning what is happening so it’s best to be always prepared. FloodSax soak up and retain the water it can really limit or completely avoid water damage.”

James was so impressed with the way FloodSax work he now never leaves home without a pack in his van.

“I now regard FloodSax as one of my most important ‘tools of the trade’ as they are so flexible and I can get them into the tightest spaces such as beneath floorboards to soak up leaks and drips in the hardest-to-reach places,” he said.

“All plumbers should have FloodSax as an important part of their everyday plumbing equipment and everyone should have at least one pack of five in their homes or businesses so they can quickly mitigate the damage from any escape of water until an emergency plumber arrives.”

A box of 20 FloodSax costs around £140 yet can prevent tens of thousands of pounds damage and all the misery, trauma, upheaval and expense of repairing the damage which can force people out of their properties for months.

The excess on many insurance policies for escapes of water is usually £300 to £500 – way more than the excess you’d pay on other claims such as damaged TVs - so having 20 FloodSax more than pays for themselves if they end up being used in action.  

For more information on FloodSax and where to buy them click here.

The ABI has issued insurance advice for extreme cold weather and to read it click here.