Winter Weather ~ Winterizing Tips
Temperatures are dropping. Prepare your home, you may save a little money on energy costs. Frozen pipes are one of the biggest risks of property damage. In fact, a burst pipe can result in more than $5,000 in water damage. Below are some ways to help protect and winterize your home.
Provide a reliable back-up power source to ensure continuous power for heat. When unoccupied (on vacation and such), place a monitored automatic excess flow switch on the main incoming water line to provide early detection of a broken pipe.
Running Water: Be sure to run a little bit of water from each valve in the house each day. Let the water trickle very slowly into the sink (bathtub, shower, sinks, flush a toilet, etc.). This will prevent freezing and costly repairs. If you are able, leave the cabinet doors under the faucets open so that they can get more heat.
Don’t Forget Outdoor Spigots and Hoses: Un-attach your garden hoses before freezing temperatures arrive in the fall. Close the shut-off valve on the pipes which lead to your outdoor spigots.
Be aware: The freezing point for water is 32°F. It doesn’t take subzero temperatures for a pipe problem to develop. If you suspect a frozen pipe, don’t take any chances. Call a plumber immediately.
