1. Frozen pipes lead to split pipes

When the water in your pipes freezes, it expands. And this extra pressure is often enough to cause the frozen pipe to split.

2. Split pipes lead to leaks

When the frozen water thaws out, you'll be left with flowing water and a hole in your pipe. That means you might not notice the leak until long after the freezing, so it's important to do what you can to prevent a frozen pipe early on.

3. Check your outside pipes

As you'd imagine, your outside pipes are the ones most vulnerable to the cold, and you'll need to pay special attention to them if you don't want to end up with a frozen pipe.

4. Don't forget sinks that lead outside

You should also watch out for any pipes under sinks that are leading outside, and any pipes you have in unheated spaces, such as your garage. Once you know which pipes are most susceptible to freezing, you'll have a head-start in case anything does go wrong.

5. Give your pipes a winter coat

Wrap up your vulnerable pipes with an insulating foam rubber sleeve. You can find these in most good DIY stores, and they'll help to stop your pipes from losing so much heat that they freeze.

6. Check them regularly

In extremely cold weather, even insulated pipes might still be at risk of freezing. So give them a quick check every so often for splits or damage – especially the pipes that are easy to forget, like those in your loft.