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Winterize or turn on Heat and this is why!

By
Real Estate Agent with Realty Professionals, Inc.

I do a lot of work with REO and foreclosure properties.  ALL of them require me to winterize a property if is during the cold time of the year.  I am in Arkansas and we don't have to deal with issues like the pictures below but we do get cold and I have had some of my rental properties pipes freeze, gladly nothing burst.

Here are a few pictures of what can happen if your pipes freeze and burst.  So the reason for the title of this blog "Winterize or turn on the Heat and this is why!"

     

 

I am a Realtor in Searcy, Arkansas and I sell new homes, existing homes, commercial property, farms and land as well as manage and own rental properties. If you are looking for real estate for an investment or a home, I will be glad to assist you! You can call my personal cell number at 501-278-7659 or e-mail me at Larry@Searcy4Sale.com.  Visit my website at http://www.searcy4sale.com

Comments (19)

Dean Moss
Dean's Team - Keller Williams Realty Partners Chicago IL - Chicago, IL
Dean's Team Chicago IL Real Estate Team

Larry -

Dramatic pics - and, I must admit - I have seen them before, but in person!

Once - not on an REO!  The seller simply moved away, and, despite my advice to the contrary, simply turned off his heat.  A cold weekend - below zero - came while I was out of town.  Something like this happened.

Not pretty!  Obviously, the client did not SAVE any money.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

Jan 18, 2009 11:57 PM
Ella Glover
Lubbock Homes - Lubbock, TX

What a nightmare that could be avoidid be a simple process.  Thanks for the reminder!

Jan 18, 2009 11:59 PM
Richard Shuman
The Only B.S. I Have is from the University of Massachusetts - Lake Mary, FL
Real Estate Broker - Orlando Area - Love Referrals

GREAT PICTURES !

You could move to Florida instead - in the orlando area we hit 32' for maybe 10 hours a year?

Jan 18, 2009 11:59 PM
Larry DeGroat
Realty Professionals, Inc. - Searcy, AR
ABR, CRS, e-PRO, GRI in Searcy

Dean's Team - Sorry to hear that!  A lot of people do try to save money and end up losing more than they wished.  Thanks for your comment!

Lubbuck Homes - It would be anightmare.  I know when my renters pipe froze, this is what I thought about.

Richard - Florida sounds great, especially this time of the year!

Jan 19, 2009 12:00 AM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Wow, this might be beautiful in a cavern, but a devastating sight in a house!

Jan 19, 2009 12:05 AM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Cave of the Icicles....exploding radiators can be beautiful interior ice sculptures...but as for the cost of repair, replacement...yicks !  HUD is also guilty of this onerous crime...

Jan 19, 2009 12:09 AM
Dan and Amy Schuman
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services - Solon, OH
Luxury Home Specialists

Great pics Larry. We always advise our clients who have vacant homes to either winterize or keep the heat on so this doesn't happen. This is pretty rare in Cleveland as cold weather is expected but some sellers don't listen and can pay a huge price.

Jan 19, 2009 12:19 AM
David Width Jr.
Little Egg Harbor, NJ

Wow, what a mess. Somebody screwed up somewhere, and is going to hear about it.

Jan 19, 2009 12:20 AM
Donna Shuman
Florida Wholesale Realty Corp - Oviedo, FL
REALTOR - Marketing for Richard Shuman - www.SKIPtheBULL.com

What a disaster! I guess you could look at the bright side and maybe open an indoor skating rink.

Jan 19, 2009 12:42 AM
Jim Crawford
Long & Foster - Fredericksburg, VA
Jim Crawford Broker Associate Fredericksburg VA

Unbelievable!  I have never seen photos like that in all my life in real estate.  Thanks goodness for the sunny south!

Jan 19, 2009 12:48 AM
Kristi DeFazio
RE/MAX Advantage - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Rea lEstate 719-459-5468

Luckily I have never witnessed anything like that. Very Scary pics!

Jan 19, 2009 12:55 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Where'd you get those pictures, Larry?  Surely not around here in Searcy Arkansas?

Jan 19, 2009 12:58 AM
Larry DeGroat
Realty Professionals, Inc. - Searcy, AR
ABR, CRS, e-PRO, GRI in Searcy

Thanks for all of the comments and yes this is very serious!  These are not from Arkansas.  A friend of mine sent these to me of an actual property that this happend to and I wanted to show what can happen if you do not prepare for the cold.

Jan 19, 2009 01:20 AM
Tim and Pam Cash
Crye-Leike (Sango) - Clarksville, TN
Real Estate Professionals - Clarksville TN

Now that looks like a mess.  Must be way up North.

Jan 19, 2009 01:24 AM
Brian Griffis
Realty Choice - Springfield, MO

I have had frozen water problems (not as bad) too.  I had renters think they were doing me a favor by leaving two weeks early and turning off the utilities.  Unfortunately, the water in the toiler cracked the bowl. I wish they would not have been so considerate.

Jan 19, 2009 01:29 AM
Steve Graham
Inactive - Atlanta, GA

Exactly. Those pictures reveal a very bad situation. I hope it can be cleaned up without mold issues. This should be a stark reminder to winterize your home; keeping the heat on can minimize your chances of bursting pipes.

Jan 19, 2009 03:20 AM
Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR - Searcy, AR

Larry,

It looks like someone is going to have some repair work!  Were those photos from Searcy?

Jan 19, 2009 10:23 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Larry that is a major league "whoops."  Water can do so much damage in such a hurry.

Feb 09, 2009 11:09 AM
Larry DeGroat
Realty Professionals, Inc. - Searcy, AR
ABR, CRS, e-PRO, GRI in Searcy

Charles, thanks for dropping by.  This is not in Arkansas.  I have had pipes freeze and bust but since we don't have basements, it was nothing like this.  Water is very powerful!

Feb 10, 2009 05:27 AM