Dear LPG,

I am an older woman who lives alone and, barring my beloved soap operas, I don’t usually watch the telly because, until recently, I was so used to being out of the house with a schedule that had me busy every day of the week.  But Coronavirus and the lockdown that resulted left me, like so many others, feeling relatively alone. One answer for me was finding a new companion to fill my more solitary moments, and I have learned just how much company the television can provide.  

For me it provides background noise more than anything.   I don’t have the longest attention span, but I am now quite used to having it turned on nearly all day and I have to say that it has also helped to give my day the structure it missed while I could not get out and about so much. The times that certain programs come on has it doubling as a second clock in some ways, although every now and then something mentioned is worth remembering and passing on.

I recently caught a message that I thought I should pass on as winter approaches again, and that is the importance of knowing where the stopcock is in your home,  just in case it springs a leak or there is a flood. I bet most men will have no problem understanding what I am talking about, but ladies, especially if you live alone please find out.

I am talking about learning where the valve that will stop the water supply to your home is, in the case of an emergency. Some homes have them inside, while other homeowners will have to go to the drain outside the front of the house to find theirs. So while there is no emergency, it is not too cold, it is not the middle of the night and while there is no immediate crises, it is worth making sure that you know where to find yours, how to turn it off and where to lay your hands on the key if you need one to do the job, just in case.   Even being able to tell a neighbour, an emergency plumber or the fire brigade where they will find it will save vital seconds.

Hopefully you will never need to do anything with that knowledge, but burst pipes do happen from time to time in winter and knowing where to shut the water off could save you from an indoor fountain or shower which could well look spectacular but do serious damage into the bargain.

TS, Dulwich

TS left some internet advice for those who have yet to find out where their Stopcock is.

(►►►)   (►►►)     (►►►)   

LPG would also like to draw your attention to another bit of winter preparation that she wrote, and that might be worth rereading…

(►►►)