British Gas issues 48-hour warning for anyone with a boiler in their house

British Gas has issued a 48-hour warning for anybody with a boiler ahead of sub-zero temperatures. The Met Office has announced THREE DAYS of snow warnings, with yellow alerts taking effect from Sunday night into Tuesday in England.

Ahead of the cold weather shift, British Gas has warned how cold weather "can be a boiler’s worst nightmare, and a frozen condensate pipe is one of the biggest causes of winter boiler breakdowns." The firm says you can try thawing it yourself by applying hot (but not boiling) water and a warm compress – like a hot water bottle – directly to the pipe.

But when temperatures drop below zero, the water in your pipes can freeze if they’re not insulated properly, the firm - which is rivalled by OVO, EDF, EON Next and Octopus - has warned. And since water expands as it freezes, it can put pressure on the pipe itself – causing it to buckle and split.

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The firm said: "If you think you’ve got a frozen pipe, don’t panic. There are a few things you can do to keep it from bursting and save yourself the hassle of a leak or flood." The warning comes amid -2C lows being forecast by meteorologists from the Met Office.

Warning signs can be your central heating makes gurgling sounds when it’s on, your boiler won’t turn on, there’s no water coming out of your taps, or just a trickle or your sink is clogged and your toilet is flushing slowly. British Gas also has advice on how to spot it.

It could be problems with your water pressure or trouble with your water flow or water marks or patches on your walls or ceilings or bulging walls or ceilings or damp patches on the floor. The firm explains: "You’ll need to turn the stopcock valve to close off your water supply – and don’t turn it back on until a plumber has fixed things.

"If you’re not sure where your stopcock is, try looking under the kitchen sink or in a cupboard – possibly even one outdoors. You'll need to switch off your central heating too."