If you've been around for a little while, you know we've been on our soapbox the last couple of weeks about the importance of winterizing vacant properties. We had always been told that pipes can freeze any time the thermostat is set below 55 degrees.
Well...all of that changed this week. No one is exactly sure what happened, but a seller of ours just called us and said while they were out of town, they had left their thermostat on 66 degrees and came home to frozen pipes!
Fortunately for them, the pipes didn't burst and they were able to have a plumber come out and thaw the pipes before any damage was done. But who knows what could have happened if they hadn't caught it in time. I guess to be safe...considering all of these lovely below freezing days we've been having...perhaps the heat needs to be set above 66 degrees.
What was really surprising was that this happened to a well built older home. Although I'm certainly not an expert on the subject, my guess would be that some of the newer homes with a poorer quality of insulation might be more at risk.
Something else to consider...wait a minute...I'm about to talk out both sides of my mouth (perhaps I should have gone into politics)...but if you have your home listed for sale and you are offering a Home Warranty on the property, you will want to call the Home Warranty company first before calling a plumber. The Home Warranty companies often have a preferred group of vendors they use.
Now here's where I talk out the other side of my mouth...I'm not sure whether Home Warranty companies are going to offer any coverage for frozen pipes. To double check, this might be a good place to start.
Need more tips on winterizing and protecting your vacant home? Click Here! For Maintenance Tips in general, Check These Out.
This information was originally published at: http://ishopgreenwood.com/2009/01/18/frozen-pipes-at-66-degrees/
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