Looks like we are in for a cold week ahead…
Most of us probably know the steps to take to keep ourselves safe and warm when temperatures plummet–but what about your home?
Cold weather related home issues can occur for a number of reasons, but the good news is that many can be prevented with preparation.
Here are our “Top 5 Tips to Protect Your Home in Freezing Temperatures”:
1. Shut off all exterior faucets and disconnect any hoses, and check and repair any leaks. You may want to invest in an exterior faucet insulation kit, available at hardware stores.
2. Let a slow trickle of warm water to drip overnight from faucets (including bathtubs!) that have pipes that run along exterior walls. You can also open the cabinets under the sink to expose the pipes to the warm air in your home.
3. If you are planning on using a space heater to lessen the workload of your furnace, be sure that there is nothing combustible within 3-feet of any side of the unit.
4. Planning on going away? (Hopefully it’s somewhere warm!) Make sure that if you are leaving town that you set your thermostat for no less than 55 degrees.
5. Locate your emergency interior water shut-off valve early. That way you’ll know where to go right away if there happens to be a water related emergency.
With preparedness you’ll stay warm and cozy in your home all winter long.
Sources: Roto-Rooter, StateFarm
5 Tips to Protect Your Home in Freezing Temperatures originally appeared on House of Style Blog - Charter Homes & Neighborhoods on January 6, 2015.