Pamplin Media Group – Protect your home (and more) from winter’s freeze

Freezing temperatures may be good for ice skating or building snowmen, but sub-freezing temperatures can be dangerous for the average homeowner.

While cold weather often leaves people scurrying to do whatever is necessary to safeguard themselves from the big chill, it’s just as important to protect their homes in cold weather.

Plumbing

Plumbing and pipes may be vulnerable to cold weather. Frozen pipes may burst and cause substantial damage to a home, potentially causing flooding and structural damage.

Homeowners should disconnect and drain garden hoses before winter arrives. Water to outdoor hose bibs should be turned off, though the valves on these outdoor faucets should be left open to drain. Also, outdoor faucets can be covered with insulating foam covers.

The Red Cross says pipes that freeze most frequently include pipes in unheated areas, such as basements, attics, garages, and crawl spaces. Close vents to the outside in areas like attics and basements to limit the amount of cold air that gets indoors. Think about insulating unheated areas and using pipe sleeves, heat tape, or wraps on exposed pipes.

By opening kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors, homeowners can allow warm air from a home to reach pipes under the sink. During extreme freezes, keep cold water dripping from a sink to prevent pipes from freezing.

Service HVAC systems

It’s essential to ensure that heating systems work correctly before the cold-weather season. It may only take hours for the interior of a home to reach dangerously low temperatures without adequate heat. Homeowners should schedule annual checkups of furnaces and hot water heaters. Inspect the heat exchanger for cracks, install a clean air filter, and ensure all thermostats are working properly.

Have fuel ready

Homeowners who heat their homes with oil, wood or coal should make sure they have plenty of fuel on hand in advance of winter. Shortages can occur, and it may take some time for new fuel to arrive during a cold snap.

Homeowners can rely on portable space heaters to fill in the heating gaps during freezing temperatures as a precaution. Exercise extreme caution with these devices, turning them off when leaving the room and remembering to avoid overloading outlets.

Protect outside

Drain birdbaths, clean out downspouts and remove water from other items where water can freeze and cause damage. Inspect roofing before the snowy season, but stay off roofs during freezing weather.

Remove snow shovels and other winter gear from storage and ensure the items are easily accessible during snowstorms.

Winter’s bite can be severe. However, homeowners can protect themselves and their properties when the freeze sets in.