A water company has offered advice to homeowners seeking to prevent their pipes from freezing up during the current cold snap.According to the South Wales Argus, DWR Cymru Welsh Water has decided to remind customers of the steps they should take after receiving a lot of calls from customers with frozen pipes.Its first tip for preventing frozen pipes is to check where the stop tap is located and ensure it is well insulated. This should also be done with other water pipes that are exposed to freezing temperatures.But if the supply pipe has already frozen then turn off the stop tap and open a tap in the kitchen or bathroom to drain down the system, added Welsh Water.It was suggested that such measures will help to prevent damage when the thaw takes place.Meanwhile, homeowners were advised to thaw out frozen pipes by applying a gentle heat such as with a hairdryer, though it was noted that this could take a long time.If the weather is exceptionally cold you may wish to keep your heating on a low setting overnight, said the company.