What to do with frozen pipes?

[zebra]

A couple of weeks ago, I unknowingly had frozen pipes as away for a couple of days with central heating left on but realise that doesn't actually prevent it. Pipes burst in 3 different places and rooms and I had a flooded utility, the pressure also pushed the boiler away from the wall!!!!

Plumber came out etc and sorted it and recommended putting a heat source in the utility when it gets really cold, which we did as that seems the most likely place of the pipes freezing.

Now with this next cold spell, woke up to no hot water in any of the taps around the house, cold is fine and I understand its usually the hot to freeze first. We have spent most of the day warming the pipes with heater and hairdryers etc.

I have turned off the water and left the hot taps open to hopefully stop the build up of pressure which obviously happened before.

I have been told this is really all you can do, but I am so worried of the same thing happening again and obviously need my water back on. I am turning it on at the mains intermittently when I have to get cold water.

I have a combi boiler, no tank.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[AlBags]

Background heat .. nothing serious ... will help.
Unfortunately ice expands as it forms, which is why it can split a copper tube. Lag all pipes that are in cold area AND where there is likely to be STATIC water in pipes. is HOT in utilities and downstairs loos. Cold mains in utility/colde areas.
Al.

[zebra]

Thank you AlBags