In the event of an evacuation during the winter months

Electricity and/or gas cuts normally only last for a short period of time and affect only a small geographic area. In the event that a power cut lasts for longer, the consequences can become harder to manage, especially in the winter time, and can endanger health and safety.

The authorities can order an evacuation during the winter months if temperatures drop so low that homes become uninhabitable due to the cold.

In such a case, you must think about your plumbing which can sustain heavy damage when temperatures drop very low.

In an evacuation:

• shut off the main circuit breaker or the switch on the power supply box;
• turn off the water supply tap;
• protect the tap(s), feed pipe and the meter or pump using blankets, cloths or isolating materials;
• empty the piping from the top of the house to the bottom:
• turn on all the taps and flush the toilets several times;
• empty the water heater by attaching a pipe to the drainage tap so that water can flow into the basement floor drain;
• turn off and empty the washing machine pipes.
• Listen to a battery-operated, wind-up or car radio in order to keep up to date with the authorities' recommendations.