Schools advised to avoid burst pipes

SCHOOLS are being advised to take measures to avoid serious damage to plumbing during the continuing freezing weather conditions.

As homes and businesses hope to avoid problems such as burst pipes caused by last January’s similar cold spell, schools also are trying to address the same problems.

Schools are already facing, from January, cuts of 5% in their Department of Education funding for maintenance, including heating and plumbing facilities, according to pre-budget details in last week’s four-year national recovery plan.

Hundreds more schools, particularly along the eastern seaboard and other coastal areas, shut their doors yesterday after a third morning of roads being covered in snow and ice.

On Monday, several hundred of the country’s primary and second level schools were closed after parents were notified of the impact of the weather. Pupils at hundreds more were yesterday given a similar message to stay at home.

The department has indicated it should remain a decision for each individual school board whether or not to close in circumstances such as these. But, with many rural roads likely to remain untreated by local authorities and potentially dangerous for driving, it is possible dozens more schools could remain closed for most of this week.

Bus Éireann said school transport services were disrupted in many areas affected by weather and road conditions, particularly on secondary and minor roads. Most services operated in Kerry but many did not run in areas of south and mid-Cork, with some schools closing mid-morning as snow arrived.

“Our local inspectors are monitoring the situation closely and review the situation with local schools every morning, with safety of operation being the key priority,” said a Bus Éireann spokesperson.

Most schools can now notify parents of closure or re-opening by text message and hundreds have also used local media to make their status known. The websites of local radio stations are also giving updates on which schools are closed, although parents should depend on direct contact with school staff to be certain.

The Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) is reminding schools of some ways to prevent damage from frost and sub-zero conditions to heating systems and water pipes.

Among the tips are that heating systems should be set to run intermittently throughout the night, and day and night if the conditions persist through the weekend. Trap doors into attics which contain water tanks or pipes should be left open, so heat can reach all areas and reduce the likelihood of pipes freezing.

The IPPN also suggests oil tanks should be temporarily covered in tarpaulin and that if the heating cannot be left to run intermittently during extended closures, a school should turn off the school’s water mains and taps should be drained.

Picture: Richard McGinley, Blackrock, Cork, having fun in the snow yesterday. Picture: Dan Linehan