Snow flurries and freezing temperatures are on the way this month and could cause Frozen Pipes, or Ice Dam situations for Westchester County home and business owners. With temps going down to 18 degrees and snow flurries, plus a possible snowstorm Friday, take time for a little preparation.
These “Helpful Hints from Hillary” below may help you avoid some really expensive headaches. Usually, the frustrating effects of winter weather and damage to our properties can be avoided.
NOTE: Most of us hear about our area’s incoming weather in advance, from our unusually sunny winter days lately…to Superstorm Sandy hurricane warnings that were on air last year. So, when you know that severe weather is on the way, take a few minutes at your office or home to prep for the worst.
Two of the most damaging winter issues for both home and business owners are the infamous: Frozen Pipes and Ice dam issues. Both of these damaging property conditions can be avoided with a few steps, before freezing temperatures and snow comes our way this Winter:
Frozen Pipes
Water damage from broken and frozen pipes are the leading cause of insurance claims in America. We clean these damages daily in homes, businesses and public buildings and can tell you that many of them could have been avoided. Hind site is great, right?
The cleanup, repair and restoration for water damaged homes and businesses can run into the thousands. So, in newer homes, it’s better to avoid exposed water pipes to subfreezing temperatures in attics, crawl spaces or against outside / exterior walls. Better builders know to position your pipes into inside walls and aways from such exposed areas.
We have an older home (1896) with little or no insulation, but our pipes were placed in interior, plaster walls. If you have attic or basement pipes that are in “danger” of a temperature drop, a plumber may have to re-route them or cover them with insulation, to slow prevent a break.
If you have had this on your “honey do” list, today’s the day: Insulation sleeves or wrapping are available at most hardware stores – like Cornell’s in Eastchester, NY, or call your general contractor for more information. Also, you can purchase "heat tape" that can be plugged in and will keep your pipes warm and "break free," if they work "as advertised."
Ice Dams
Ice dams build up when the air in your attic is warm enough to melt the snow and ice on your roof. The water runs down the roof and refreezes near the gutters, at the edges of roofing shingles. And then –- just for fun – some of the melting ice and water build up behind “the dam” formed by this refreezing and it leaks into your home.
Some of us in the Northeast get ambitious and rake the snow off our roof, and you’ll keep ice dams to a minimum. This becomes a constant chore, but it’s better than dealing with water leaking in to your house.
Just raking the first several feet of snow from the eaves is usually enough to prevent the formation of ice dams, but in some cases, this will cause ice dams to form higher up on the roof. Keep an eye on your roof line when snow is still sitting there, and on northern or colder sides where it won't melt easily.
One of our contractor friends told us to keep the bottom of our gutter lines that fall vertically near the corners of our home and office building clear of ice. Gently kick away ice and snow at the bottom of the gutters on corners, to allow the backup in your gutters to loosen and fall.
Also, make sure that your attic is insulated well from the floors below, so you save on heat, but be sure that your upper level is “vented” and normalized. If your attic is cool and insulated, but vented to prevent mold growth, you should have less of a chance to experience an ice dam water damage!
Letting a faucet drip slowly during extremely cold weather can prevent a pipe from bursting. The slow drip prevents excessive pressure from building up between a blockage and the faucet. Dripping faucets waste some water, so this should be limited to pipes that are vulnerable to freezing.
Also, you can run for some insulation and wrap any pipes that are in the high risk areas noted above. If you suspect that a pipe has frozen, call a plumber and turn off the water at the water main, until repairs are completed and to avoid more serious problems.
Also, you may decide to turn down the heat and save on energy costs, if you are leaving on a trip. However, you don’t want the heat below 55 degrees, or you could return to a home full of water from a burst pipe. If you have concerns, or are leaving for the winter season you may opt to shut off the water and drain the house / all of your water pipes before you leave town.
Good luck and stay warm! Here's a late hour forecast: The coldest air of the season has plunged through the Northeast...with temps as low as 12 degrees overnight. Scarves, stocking caps, long underwear -- all of it -- will come in handy for millions of us through Sunday. If we wanted to live in northern Siberia we'd move there, right?
ICE DAMS & FROZEN PIPES MAY FOLLOW FREEZING TEMPS & SNOW SHOWERS IN BRONXVILLE, NY 10708
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