Prevent Pipes From Bursting...
Baby, It's Cold Outside! And that might just mean it's getting cold inside. If you own vacant home, you need to winterize. It's an inexpensive procedure that can save you thousands of dollars in reparis. And if you are in the middle of negotiating a sFHA short sale, it's a must-do per the agreement you signed when accepted into the Pre-Foreclosure Program.
As temperatures continue to drop across the country, homeowners are reminded to take a few minutes to assess pipe vulnerability, as it could save you the headache and aggravation caused by water damage.
Home insurance companies reported the number of frozen pipe claims nearly tripled, from 9,000 claims to more than 26,000 claims, between 2008 and 2009.
Freezing temperatures can cause pipes to freeze and burst, destroying floors, furniture, appliances and treasured family heirlooms.
A small crack in a pipe can leak water at a volume of 14 gallons a minute. In most cases, water damages and losses can be avoided by taking a few simple precautions. Spending a few minutes to protect your pipes could save you time and expense down the road."
Beat the freeze
Minimize the chance your pipes will freeze by insulating pipes in unheated areas and those that run along outside walls, floors and ceilings. Disconnect outside garden hoses, shut the water supply to outside faucets and open the outside faucets up to make sure there is no more water in the pipes, and seal foundation cracks that let arctic air freeze pipes in crawlspaces.
A few simple tasks can help protect pipes and homes when a severe freeze is predicted:
- Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to piping under sinks and vanities near exterior walls.
- Run a small trickle of water from hot and cold faucets during extreme cold.
- Keep exterior doors to unheated spaces closed as much as possible during winter months.
- During extreme cold spells crack open Interior doors to unheated spaces that have water pipes running through them.
- If you are taking a short trip or own a business that will be unoccupied for more than 24 hours, make arrangements to have the dwelling checked regularly during severe cold spells. Discovering a burst pipe or water leak quickly can prevent excessive damage.
- Install a whole house water leak detection system able to alarm your management company, security company, fire house or local police station.
Phyllis Lerner, Realtor
Broker / Owner
http://westchester-real-estate.us
914-438-7556Voted 2010 FIVE STAR Real Estate Agent by Westchester Magazine
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