8 Best Home Owner Tips For Cold Weather
First, It is always a good idea to insulate any exposed pipes. Key places to look: the attic, crawl spaces, outside walls or unfinished basements. When it comes to insulation more insulation means more protection. Use blanket insulation, insulation strips and foam pipe insulation.
Be on the lookout for cracks or crevices where air can get in. Air movement is the number one cause of frozen pipes in pump houses, crawl spaces, and basements. If you find any, insulate well or use caulk or Great Stuff foam sealant to fill the cracks.
If the temperatures are dropping extremely low allow your water to drip out of a couple of faucets. By allowing the faucets to drip, you are reducing the pressure behind any ice that may have built up. If the dripping ceases leave the faucets open. There may be a section of frozen pipe, but there will be no pressure built up behind it to make it burst.
If pipes are on an outside wall in a cabinet they may be at risk for freezing. Here is an easy fix: open any cabinet doors that house piping. Frozen pipes can be prevented by letting a room’s warmer air reach them.
Don’t turn down the thermostat, especially at night. Most people like to allow the temperature in the house to lower and snuggle up with more blankets. The coldest times tend to be through the night so make sure you have significant heat in the house while you sleep.
Before temperatures drop, disconnect all garden hoses and drain the water from the short pipe that leads to the outside tap. Make sure to install a outside spigot with a vacuum breaker to prevent the faucet from freezing.
There are a lot of locals who visit family or take vacations during the winter months. If you’re leaving a property vacant, leave the thermostat set to at least 55 degrees. Have someone check regularly to ensure the heat is still on, or shut the water off and drain the pipes. We also sell Wifi thermostats that allow you to check on the temperature in your home from your phone or computer as well as change the settings.
Are you having your oil furnace or Heat Pump serviced yearly? This investment is the best way to prevent the dreaded “no heat” call in the dead of winter. Changing air filters, oil nozzles and oil filters are also yearly up keeps some can do on their own.