I'm going away in a couple of weeks to OZ/New Zealand and it's the first time I've been away in the winter. When I go away in the summer, I turn of the gas and water supply to be on the safe side, as I once had a horrendous experience when the ball cock in the header tank snapped, and water came rushing out of the overflow. I would like to think that we won't get a "big freeze" situation and I had a look in the loft, it's quite well insulated and all the pipes to the tank are wrapped in insulating sleeves. I would rather not leave the central heating system on because of my past problems and I live in a link house and a certain amount of heat is generated from the adjoining properties. Would I be fairly safe in switching everythig off at this time of the year? You don't hear of pipes bursting like the old days, do you?