Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Every winter season, the pipes in your home are at risk of damage from freezing conditions. Low temperatures can cause your water pipes to freeze, and in some cases burst. Protect your home by preventing broken pipes now before the cold weather sets in.
· Make sure you disconnect any garden hoses and tighten the outside spigot to be sure the water is turned off for the winter. If you leave a garden hose attached, a small amount of water can stay lodged in the pipe by the spigot and will quickly freeze. This ice can damage your faucet and pipe, making for a costly repair down the road.
· If you don’t remove the leaves and debris from your gutters now, they’ll become clogged with massive chunks of frozen debris. Clogged gutters can create ice dams, an overflow of ice that forms along the ridges of your roof and can cause warping, roof damage and mold growth.
· Make sure pipes along an exterior wall have access to the heat in the house. For example, if the water pipe for your kitchen sink is along an exterior wall of your home, keep the cabinet door open so heat from the house can circulate and warm the pipes.
· Identify the location of the main water valve and the valve on your water heater. Know how to turn it off, in case of emergency.
· When temperatures drop below 20 degrees overnight, let a slow drip or trickle of water flow out of the faucet to keep the water moving. When both hot and cold lines serve a spigot, make sure each one contributes to the drip.
· If you’re going on vacation or leaving the home for an extended period of time, don’t turn the heat completely off. Keep it from 55-60 degrees, and open all of the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, crawlspace doors, and make sure the basement also has access to the home’s heat.