Smart Tips in Making Your Home Stay Hot this Cold Season!
Now that the fresh breeze of Christmas time is here, and with everyone gleaming with the holiday cheer and some Bing Crosby tunes playing, home buyers won't want to leave, which could mean a quick sale for you. That’s why we’ve amassed some amazing home care tips to keep the fires burning and the pipes humming, just as they should, all winter long.
Before the cold weather sets in:
It is important to know which areas of your home are most vulnerable to freezing. Basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms and outside walls are great candidates to begin with.
Make sure everyone in your household knows where your main water shut-off valve is. Always check it at least annually to make sure it is working properly. Remember that if a pipe freezes, it becomes easily brittle and can burst if not immediately attended to. It is also important that you turn off outdoor faucets from inside the house and that the lines are drained.
Keep your water heater temperature around 120 degrees and install low-flow shower heads to reduce hot water use. These shower heads are usually very inexpensive which means you don’t only save from reduced hot water usage, but you also save on the materials too. Lowering the heat to 120 degrees could also lower your water heating costs by 6 to 10 percent.
Seal the Deal!
Search for pipes that are exposed to the cold, or pass thru unheated spaces. Wrap them with low-cost pipe insulators available at your favourite hardware shops.
If you have heat tapes installed, make sure there are no breakages or leaks. Carefully inspect the pipes for any signs of cracks and always follow manufacturer’s recommendations before making any reinforcements/adjustments.
When temperature falls below zero:
Allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep the pipes from freezing. Note that the cost of extra running water is typically low compared to the cost to repair a broken pipe. You may also open cabinet doors to expose the pipes to warmer room temperatures to help keep them from freezing.
What if the pipes freeze?
Shut off the water immediately. Don’t attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off as freezing can often cause unseen cracks in pipes or joints that will leak when thawed.
You may apply direct heat to the frozen pipe either by using a space heater or hot water. Be sure not to leave space heaters unattended and avoid the use of kerosene heaters or open flames.
Once the pipes have been thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.
For all your Real Estate needs, feel free to reach me directly at (314) 761-4057 or email me at Michael@TheNettGroup.com.
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