Preparing Your Home for Cold Temperatures

So far Indiana has had a fairly mild winter.  A bit of snow, a few bitter cold snaps with spring-like temps peppered in between.  This week temps are predicted to dip into the teens, and there are several winter weather precautions you need to take to protect your home and to stay warm when temperatures dip well below freezing.

Here are a Few Tips we Recommend:

1.  Change your furnace filter - this is important to maintain your furnace.  This is an extremely important task that needs to be done frequently to maintain good airflow in furnace

2.  Keep drapes and blinds closed, except when windows are in direct sunlight.  - Those that are open, close around 4pm to retain the warmth

3. Keep you thermostat on a steady, comfortable temperature.  Layer on a sweater or an extra blanket if  you get cold rather than turning up the thermostat. 

4. Make sure the chimney flue is closed when fireplace is not in use

5. Put draft snakes/dodgers on window sills, between window frames and against doors

6. Keep your Garage Door closed

7. Run Ceiling Fans in reverse on a low speed to help circulate warm air

The Red Cross has this advice:
• Avoid frozen pipes - run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent them from freezing. Open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Keep the garage doors closed if there are water lines in the garage.

• Never use a stove or oven to heat your home.

• If you are using a space heater, place it on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away - things such as paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs. Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.

• If you are using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

• Use generators correctly - never operate a generator inside the home, including in the basement or garage.

• Don’t hook a generator up to the home’s wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator.

There is plenty of information out there... always be prepared!  These are just a few tips we recommend as cold weather approaches.  Our suggestion is to prepare well in advance of cold weather arriving!  Caulking, gutter & downspout cleaning, insulating etc are worth the effort in the warmer months to prevent damage in the winter!

Our Next Post will be Snow and Ice Storm Preparedness!  Both your home and your car!

Stay Warm & Happy New Year!

Tips for Preventing Frozen Pipes

We knew it was bound to happen!  Winter weather has finally arrived!  After a nice, mild November and December, Old Man Winter finally awoke from his slumber!

With single digit temps and sub-zero wind chills; taking steps to prevent frozen pipes is essential to any homeowner! (or renter)

OUTSIDE HOME:

• Keep the Garage Door Closed (especially if the garage is attached to the house)

• You might want to place an insulating dome or other covering on outdoor faucets and spigots to reduce the likelihood of water pipes freezing, expanding

• Make sure holes and cracks are filled in exterior walls to prevent cold air from entering into the walls (this is a task that more than likely should be handled in warmer weather)

INSIDE HOME:

• Open bathroom and kitchen cabinet doors so that warm air will circulate around pipes             (Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.)

• Allow a slow drip from your faucets to reduce the buildup of pressure in the pipes.  Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.

• IF the pipes freeze, the release pressure in the water system will reduce the likelihood of a rupture.

• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. Lowering the temperature at night might save a few dollars in your heating bill, however it could cause your pipes to freeze thus a more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.

GOING OUT OF TOWN?

• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

• You might also want to drain your water system completely.  Consult with a professional for proper instruction or completion of this task

This is NOT something you want to see in your basement or crawlspace
or not see with plumbing inside a wall or ceiling

If your pipes do freeze:

• You should keep the faucet open. As the frozen area starts to melt, water will flow and running water will help melt ice in the pipe.

• CALL A PROFESSIONAL! They will give you the proper advice!

Stay warm and cozy... safe of the roads!