Labor Day has come and gone and that mean that Fall is almost here! Take care of these items now to ensure your home is safe from freezing as the cold weather sets in.
1. Exposed Plumbing Pipes
Make sure any exposed pipes are well insulated to prevent major heat loss. Especially those that are near exterior walls. When water within the pipes gets too cold, it freezes and expands, potentially causing the pipe to burst and creating an expensive mess.
2. Garden Hoses
Water left inside hoses and fixtures will freeze and expand, damaging the fixture and the hose. Be sure to empty and disconnect the hoses completely and bring them indoors.
3. Water Heater
If your home uses hard water, this is important. When water sits in your hot water heater, sediment and rust can build up in the tank, damaging heating elements and creating a major risk for tank failure. Draining your water heater will help flush out any of that sediment and keep your water heater protected.
4. Leaky Faucets
Leaky faucets inside OR outside can be more at risk for damage if they freeze, be sure to repair them before the winter sets in.
5. Gutters
Gutter clogs can cause snow melt to build up and overflow in your gutters, and when it refreezes, that snow melt can tear apart your eaves, roof, and take sections of gutters right off the house. Clean them after the big set of leaves have fallen. Or if you don’t have leaves, clean them while its still warm.
6. Sump Pump
A frozen pump will not be able to discharge water from your home, which can be especially dangerous in the winter if snow piles up around the base of your home. Have your sump pump inspected to ensure it isn’t at risk for freezing.
7. Taking a trip this winter?
Don’t forget to set the heat to at least 55 F if travelling in the cold of winter. Open cabinets where plumbing is inside to ensure heat gets to those spaces. If you are taking a long trip where the plumbing won’t be used for weeks at a time, its best to have a plumber come and winterize your house.
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