Five Things That Always Break in January
January and February are our busiest months for emergency callouts. Same problems every year, same timing.
December pushes your systems harder than any other month. Heating runs continuously. Kitchen equipment operates at full capacity through Christmas bookings. Building systems work overtime.
Then the coldest months arrive, and that's when the stress shows. Systems pushed hard in December fail in January and February. It's predictable, which means it's preventable.
What typically fails, why it happens, and how to avoid the emergency callout.
While we focus on January below, these same failures continue through February - often with even worse weather conditions.
1. Heating Systems
January accounts for 15.56% of all commercial boiler breakdowns in the UK. More than any other month. December comes second at 12%.
Your heating worked harder in December than the rest of the year combined. Extended opening hours for Christmas trading. Lower temperatures overnight. Systems running continuously keeping venues warm.
By January, boilers already showing wear finally fail. Pumps seize. Pressure drops. Thermostats stop responding. Components that should've been replaced six months ago break completely.
Common January boiler failures: low-pressure shutdowns, frozen pipes, blocked drainage, pump failures from continuous operation, thermostat malfunctions, and ignition problems.
Book your annual boiler service now, before the Christmas rush and January failures. An engineer spots worn components, adjusts pressure, replaces parts before they fail when you need heating most.
2. Commercial Kitchen Extraction
If your extraction hasn't been maintained, January is when it stops working.
Grease builds up through December. Heavy Christmas bookings mean kitchens at full capacity for weeks. The system works harder, gets hotter, eventually overheats or blocks completely.
When extraction fails, your kitchen overheats. Air quality drops. Cooking becomes uncomfortable. Odours spread into customer areas. You're forced to reduce capacity or close until it's fixed.
The bigger risk is fire. Grease in extraction systems is extremely flammable. The HSE reports Food and Drink Premises had 1,362 fires in 2022/23. Poor extraction maintenance contributes.
Get professional extraction cleaning every three to six months for commercial kitchens. More frequently for high-volume operations. Don't wait until the system's struggling.
3. Commercial Refrigeration
December puts fridges and freezers under stress. Doors opening constantly. Temperature fluctuations from busy kitchens. Condensers are working overtime to maintain the temperature.
By January, dirty condensers, blocked vents, worn components cause cooling failures. Food reaches unsafe temperatures. Stock spoils. Expensive replacement costs and lost trading.
Equipment failures cause significant damage to food stock and lost trading. Poor maintenance is the leading cause.
What fails:
Dirty condensers reducing cooling
Blocked circulation vents
Door seal failures
Compressor breakdowns
Temperature control malfunctions
Regular cleaning of condensers and vents. Check door seals monthly. Annual servicing catches problems before they cause failure.
4. Building Damage
January and February's persistent cold and wet conditions expose weaknesses you didn't notice during December's rush.
Roof leaks worsen. Blocked gutters that coped with November finally overflow when January brings heavier rain. Water penetrates deteriorating brickwork. Small cracks you spotted months ago turn into bigger problems.
These aren't dramatic failures. They're slow deterioration you meant to fix. January's weather makes them worse.
Water getting into your building causes immediate problems - damaged stock, ruined equipment, and unsafe working conditions. It causes long-term structural damage. Small leaks become major repairs if left.
We cleared a cinema's completely blocked gutters where water backed up into the building. Another job saw deteriorating exterior brickwork at a venue in Muswell Hill - crumbling mortar and loose bricks letting moisture penetrate. Both caught early before they became structural problems.
What fails:
Roof leaks from damaged tiles or deteriorating felt
Blocked gutters causing overflow and penetration
Brick wall deterioration where mortar's failed
Ceiling damage from roof leaks
Floor damage from water ingress
Get building inspections done now, before winter gets worse. Clear gutters before the next heavy rain. Check your roof now. Repair damaged brickwork when you spot it, not when water's coming through the wall.
5. Frozen Pipes
January is colder than December. Consistently cold. That's when pipes freeze.
Water freezes in exposed pipes, expands, cracks them. The crack might be tiny. You won't know it's there until the pipe thaws slightly and water starts leaking.
Properties left unheated over Christmas face the highest risk. Buildings with uninsulated pipes in roof spaces, basements, external walls. Older properties with original pipework running through cold spaces.
A burst pipe can cause tens of thousands of pounds in damage. Water destroys stock, damages equipment, ruins flooring, forces temporary closure while you fix it.
What works:
Insulate all exposed pipes before winter
Keep heating on low even when the building's empty
Know where your stopcock is and how to turn it off quickly
If a pipe bursts, you'll be dealing with thousands in damage while your competitors stay open.
Why This Happens Every Year
These failures share common causes:
Heavy December use. Extended hours, higher temperatures, more people, and equipment running continuously.
Deferred maintenance. Problems that should've been fixed in summer get ignored because "it's still working." By January, it stops working
Cold weather. Freezing temperatures stress systems. Components contract, pipes freeze, condensation increases
Timing. Systems pushed to their limit in December fail in January. Not gradually. Suddenly, completely, expensively
Prevention Works Better Than Panic
We handle dozens of emergency call-outs every January.
Prevention costs less than emergency repairs. A planned service in quiet periods costs a third of an emergency call-out in January. You choose the timing, you avoid the disruption, you keep your building operational when you need it most.
What to Do Now
Book your essential checks before Christmas. Get heating serviced, extraction cleaned, and refrigeration checked. Have gutters cleared, roofs inspected, and building maintenance sorted.
If something's already failed, we can help. Our emergency team responds 24/7, fully equipped to get you back running.
Don't wait until January when everyone else is calling. Book your maintenance now while you can choose the date and avoid the rush.
Call us on 0333 344 5949 or email. We'll assess your property, identify the risks, create a maintenance schedule that keeps problems from becoming emergencies.
Fix your January problems now, before they happen.
