{"id":4338,"date":"2026-02-09T19:10:05","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T18:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/?p=4338"},"modified":"2026-02-09T20:01:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T19:01:35","slug":"gel-des-conduites-deau-un-risque-hivernal-a-ne-pas-sous-estimer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/gel-des-conduites-deau-un-risque-hivernal-a-ne-pas-sous-estimer\/","title":{"rendered":"Frozen water pipes: a winter risk not to be underestimated"},"content":{"rendered":"<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4336 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Image-09.02.26-a-19.04-300x182.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"348\" height=\"211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Image-09.02.26-a-19.04-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Image-09.02.26-a-19.04-1024x620.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Image-09.02.26-a-19.04-768x465.png 768w, https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Image-09.02.26-a-19.04-600x363.png 600w, https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Image-09.02.26-a-19.04.png 1530w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 348px) 100vw, 348px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"149\" data-end=\"393\">In Verbier, prolonged cold spells combined with unoccupied properties represent a real risk to water installations. Every winter, property owners face sometimes significant damage that is often preventable through simple precautionary measures.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"395\" data-end=\"615\">Water pipes can freeze both in unoccupied properties and in occupied homes that are insufficiently heated. Particularly vulnerable areas include attics, garages, cellars, and bathrooms located in poorly insulated spaces.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"395\" data-end=\"615\"><strong>Insurance and duty of\u00a0<\/strong><b>Care<\/b><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"649\" data-end=\"953\">Contrary to a common misconception, damage caused by frozen pipes is not covered by natural hazards insurance. A building water damage insurance policy is generally required to cover repair costs as well as consequential damage. For rental properties, this insurance may also cover loss of rental income.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"955\" data-end=\"1158\">It is nevertheless important to recall that insurance does not release the owner from their duty of care. A lack of preventive measures may, in certain cases, result in a reduction of insurance benefits.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"955\" data-end=\"1158\"><strong>Recommended preventive measures<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1197\" data-end=\"1228\">To reduce the risk of freezing:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1230\" data-end=\"1725\">\n<li data-start=\"1230\" data-end=\"1311\">\n<p data-start=\"1232\" data-end=\"1311\">maintain a minimum level of heating in both occupied and unoccupied properties;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1312\" data-end=\"1401\">\n<p data-start=\"1314\" data-end=\"1401\">drain water pipes and connected appliances in properties left vacant during the winter;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1402\" data-end=\"1498\">\n<p data-start=\"1404\" data-end=\"1498\">pay particular attention to exposed areas (attics, garages, cellars, non-insulated bathrooms);<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1499\" data-end=\"1589\">\n<p data-start=\"1501\" data-end=\"1589\">close garage and cellar windows, while ensuring adequate ventilation of the boiler room;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1590\" data-end=\"1725\">\n<p data-start=\"1592\" data-end=\"1725\">in the event of abnormal or interrupted water flow, immediately shut off the water supply and\u00a0have the installation checked without delay.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Contribution from ou partner La Mobili\u00e8re<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1762\" data-end=\"1911\">This information and advice are provided with the support of our partner La Mobili\u00e8re, which assists many mountain property owners with these issues.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1913\" data-end=\"1930\">February 2026<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Verbier, prolonged cold spells combined with unoccupied properties represent a real risk to water installations. Every winter, property owners face sometimes significant damage that is often preventable through simple &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88,"featured_media":4337,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4338"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/88"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4338"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4344,"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4338\/revisions\/4344"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apcav.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}