Winter Guide

Winter Guide

The most common problems you may face during a cold snap, are heating issues and frozen pipes. We want to give our tenants some important advice and what you can do during cold periods. It’s our priority to make sure you keep safe and warm!

We’ve put together some handy hints and tips below.

Frozen Pipes

To prevent any of your pipes freezing, keep your heating on a low setting throughout the night. This will keep a comfortable temperature in the property and stop your pipes from freezing. Below is a list of different things you can do yourself to thaw your pipes.

  • First, locate your stop tap. If it’s in a cupboard, empty the cupboard to allow warm air in, leave the cupboard doors open to allow the air to circulate. You can also use a hair dryer on the pipe. You may also use a portable heater but please do not leave appliances like this unattended. After a few minutes, the water should begin to defrost.
  • Open one cold and one hot tap so they are running as slow as possible, a constant drip will suffice, this will help to keep water constantly running in the pipes, running water will not freeze. This will also help to prevent bursts.

A common fault found with condensing boilers is the freezing of the exit pipe. This is the pipe from your boiler that leads to the outside of your property. To help with this:

  • Pour hot water (not boiling water) over the section of pipe that is frozen. Make sure you put a bowl or something similar underneath to catch the water.
  • Hot water bottles are also very handy to use in this situation, just fill them up as usual and hold against the frozen pipe. Simply move along the pipe slowly until it has fully thawed.
  • Once the pipe has thawed, you will need to reset your boiler. Simply press the re-set button once and wait for the boiler to restart.

If you have your own boiler and still have no heating after following the above advice, please call Sure Group on 03333 212797.

Communal Boilers and Meters

How do I buy Credit?

You should try and keep your G6 topped up at all times with enough credit to avoid any potential disconnection to your energy supply.

To top-up, you can either call the automated payment line: 0333 313 9171, or simply visit any outlet where you see the PayPoint sign with your Switch2 payment card. You can find your local PayPoint outlet and opening hours on their website www.paypoint.com.

Alternatively, you can visit my.switch2.co.uk/ to top-up online or download the Switch2 Quickpay app for iOS and Android devices.

I’ve run out of credit, what do I do?

Once you have made a payment by topping up online or through PayPoint, we will be notified immediately and the credit will be applied to your G6 unit within 10 minutes*.

Please ensure that when your credit is running low, that you allow enough time for your top-up to arrive on your G6. This will help you to avoid using the emergency credit facility, ensuring that is available for actual emergencies.

If you cannot top-up your G6 and your credit is about to expire, or you have run out, the G6 has an emergency credit facility. This allows you to ‘borrow’ credit which will reconnect your supplies for a short period of time. This is simply a loan, and must be paid back in full before the system can be used again.

The emergency credit facility becomes available to activate when your credit value reaches £1.00 or less. To activate, press the blue button marked 'Press For Em Credit'.

PLEASE NOTE: This should only be used in emergency situations where you cannot top-up before your credit is due to expire.

If you live in a communal heating area, we also have a helpful guide from Switch2.