Latest research from WaterSafe has indicated that half the population do not know where their stop tap is to turn water off at the mains.
Of 2,000 people questioned, only 54% knew the location of their stopcock.
Julie Spinks, director of WaterSafe, said: “WaterSafe is a partner of the Met Office’s ‘WeatherReady’ campaign, which encourages everyone to think about what they can do to prepare for, and cope with, severe weather.
“My number one recommendation is find your stop tap, check it’s working and label it. This will help you to quickly shut off the water supply in an emergency, such as a leak or burst pipe. Note that it should be turned clockwise to turn off.
“Pipes can freeze and burst in very cold temperatures, particularly if we have a sudden freeze and thaw. It’s also common for water to freeze in hosepipes attached to outdoor taps, leading to ice backing up into pipes and cracking them.
“I’d also advise everyone to have the number of a WaterSafe-approved plumber handy for emergencies. Our survey showed only just over a quarter of people do this.”
WaterSafe’s survey also revealed that, of the people who do actively prepare for the winter months, the most common actions are checking their boiler has been serviced, among 37%, checking where their stop tap is, 33%, and draining or disconnecting the hose attached to outdoor taps, 31%.