Showing posts with label winterizing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winterizing. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Protect Your Home This Winter Travel Season
Keep Old Man Winter at Bay When You're Away!Though winter is not usually an in-demand travel season, many of us do head out of town during the coldest months of the year. From snow birds and holiday travelers to skiers and warm weather enthusiasts, there are plenty of people looking for ways to relieve those deep winter blues by getting out of Dodge!
If you will be spending time away from home this winter, be sure to take precautions to ensure your home is ready for your extended absence. The following winterizing tips will help secure your home and prevent costly damage to your plumbing, HVAC system, interior and exterior while you are away.
Choose Temperature Wisely
You may be thinking you will save money on utilities while you are gone, but if you leave your home’s thermostat off or set too low you could come back to a major – and expensive – problem. Frozen pipes will burst, which can ruin your home’s plumbing and flood the house. Even if you live in an area that doesn’t get much snow or ice, it is still a good idea to set your thermostat no lower than 55 degrees. You will still save some money on energy costs, but your house will stay warm enough to keep your pipes from freezing.
Prepare Plumbing
Any kind of pipes can freeze and burst under the stress of neglect or frigid winter temperatures. No matter how cold it gets at your house, preparing your plumbing is essential.
Frozen pipes aren’t the only wintertime plumbing threat. Any crack or leak in the pipes could let in water that can cause significant damage to your home and personal property. If you are leaving your home for more than three weeks, it is best to have your water shut off completely and to drain the water lines. Insulate exposed pipes with pipe insulation available at most hardware stores.
Weather the Storm
For many of us, winter brings the harshest weather: heavy snows, ice, freezing rain, high winds, and sub-zero temperatures. A sudden winter storm while you are gone can wreak havoc on your house. Plan ahead and remove some of the risk factors from around your home and yard.
Secure outdoor furniture, grills, toys, garden equipment or lawn care supplies. Tie them down or put them in a garage or shed where they won’t be affected by bad weather.
Trim dead branches from trees and shrubs, especially where these limbs come close to your home or car.
Securely close and lock windows and skylights to prevent snow and ice from coming in.
Get the Lived-In Look
A great way to protect your home from would-be intruders is to make it look like you are still there. Set your holiday decorations and lights with timers, which you will find wherever you purchase holiday lighting. You might even want to put things like a few interior lights, the television, a radio or your computer on automatic timers.
Arrange for a neighbor to come over to clear walkways if it snows and to collect your mail. If you can get someone to check on your house every few days you can also dramatically reduce your risk of being victimized by a home invasion, or suffering major damage from frozen pipes.
Related Information from Horizon Services...
Monday, January 3, 2011
Old Man Winter and Your Plumbing
Don't Get Left in the Cold with a Plumbing Emergency!It's a new year. Winter has officially arrived. Already, most of the nation has experienced has experienced an episode or two of nasty winter weather...including cold temperatures. Unfortunately, winter is also the time when your home is most prone to plumbing problems -- both routine and outright disasters.
Most of the more serious winter plumbing problems -- like cracked, burst and frozen pipes -- should be left to the plumbing experts. But as homeowners, there are plenty of things we can do ourselves to prevent these plumbing mishaps and to ensure that our home plumbing systems work as efficiently as possible all winter long. A regular round of checks and some preventive steps can be easily carried out to help maintain the long-term optimal working of your plumbing system and save on costly plumbing repair bills.
It's Always Wise to Winterize!
If you didn't do it before winter arrived, make sure now that any outside hoses are disconnected from faucets and and outside pipes turned off and drained, as water in them will freeze and expand. This will cause pipes and fittings to crack and burst. This can lead to serious leaks and even flooding. This can happen to plastic as well as metal pipes.
This shut-down of external pipes can be made easier if your home has shut-off valves installed, which will close them down and drain the water off. Once effectively disconnected, the exterior faucets can then be protected from the cold weather with lagging.
If you have pipes situated in areas of the home that are not heated, such as garages, these can be insulated from temperature extremes using heat tape or insulating sleeves available at most hardware stores.
To increase energy efficiency, seal doors and windows from drafts using materials you can buy in any home centers. This will keep warm air inside your home, adding a few degrees of warmth to your pipes and fixtures.
Check your water heater, which has an extra burden placed on it during cold months, flushing it out to get rid of any build-up of sediments, as these cause corrosion and greatly effect efficiency and longevity of the unit. Drain off a few gallons using the faucet situated near the base of the unit. Also check the pressure release valve, which should snap smartly back into place when lifted after allowing a spurt of water to the drain. If it is slack, get somebody in to replace it.
The water heater’s thermostatic control should be set according to the season. In winter you’ll want optimum performance, of course, at about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. You may also have to clean debris such as dead leaves from around the downspouts to allow for better drainage after the coming thaw.
It's important to prevent ice build-up in your pipes during the winter. Try not to let any sink, tub or toilet go idle for too long. Be sure to use as many fixtures as regularly as you can so water doesn't accumulate in one place and freeze. One good idea to make sure that water keeps flowing throughout your pipes is to leave faucets on at a very slow trickle...especially at night when temperatures can take a sudden plunge.
Going on a winter vacation or plan to be out of the house for an extended length of time? It’s a good idea to close the main water valve and then open the faucets at the top and base of the house to drain the system, keeping the heat on as you do so.
You need only a very basic set of tools to maintain your home plumbing system this winter. A pipe wrench is probably the most important, enabling you to get a good grip on pipes and fittings. A pair of pliers will help you to adjust nuts and bolts, but these can damage fittings if you slip up, so get some smooth sleeves to fit. These tools are fine for the small maintenance jobs you’re likely to be carrying out, but for bigger home plumbing jobs it’s best to get the professionals in, otherwise things could take a turn for the worse.
Related Plumbing Information from Horizon Services...
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Preparing Plumbing and Pipes for Winter
Before the Mercury Plummets, Take Some Preventive Plumbing Action!Winter time can wreak havoc on your home's pipes and plumbing system, especially in Horizon Services' service area of Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland where temperatures can yo-yo between moderate to sub-zero and back all within a week...and often do. Freezing and fluctuating temperatures can cause pipes to crack. Melting snow and ice can lead to leaks, flooding and structural damage all over your house.
Fortunately, there are many things that homeowners can do themselves to prevent damage and ensure that their home plumbing systems continue to work as efficiently as possible. A regular round of checks that can be easily carried out will help maintain the long-term optimal working of the plumbing system and save on costly plumbing repair bills.
Especially as winter approaches, make sure that any outside hose pipes are disconnected from faucets and that the water leading out to these faucets is turned off. If water in the pipes or hoses freezes, it will expand, causing hoses and pipes to crack or even burst. This can lead to very serious leaks and flooding. This can happen to plastic pipes as well as metal.
The shut-down of external pipes can be made easier if your home has shut-off valves installed, which will close them down and drain the water off. Once effectively disconnects, the exterior faucets can then be protected from the cold weather with lagging.
If you have pipes situated in areas of the home that are not heated, such as basements, attics or garages, these can be insulated from temperature extremes using heat tape or foam insulated sleeves. These materials are available at most hardware stores.
It's also important to keep as much heat inside your home to prevent pipes from freezing, especially in those cold rooms. To increase energy efficiency, seal doors and windows from drafts using materials you can buy in any home centers.
Water heaters work extra hard during the winter, so check yours to make sure that it is performing up to speed. Flushing it out periodically to get rid of any build-up of sediments, as these cause corrosion and greatly effect efficiency and longevity of the unit. Drain off a few gallons using the faucet situated near the base of the unit. Also check the pressure release valve, which should snap smartly back into place when lifted after allowing a spurt of water to the drain. If it is slack, get somebody in to replace it.
The water heater’s thermostatic control should be set according to the season. In winter you’ll want optimum performance, of course, at about 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Going away for a couple days over the winter? If you're not regularly running water, it can collect in pipes and freeze, especially if you lose power or the temperature takes a nosedive. It's a good idea to leave some warm water running at a slow drip...just so it keeps moving through your pipes. If you have a programmable thermostat, you can set it to turn on periodically while you are away to make sure that no room gets too cold.
In addition, you may also have to clean debris such as dead leaves from gutters and around the downspouts to allow for better drainage after the coming thaw. Clear ice and snow away from outside walls to prevent snow melt from getting inside your home. Make sure snow doesn't accumulate near vents. And if you can, try clearing ice and snow from roofs before it accumulaes too heavily. Many hardware stores carry telescoping rakes that can reach rooftops without having to use a ladder. You can also toss a few thermal cakes up onto your roof to chemically stimulate snow and ice melt.
To winterize your plumbing, you need only a very basic set of tools to maintain your home plumbing system, available from any home center. A pipe wrench is probably the most important, enabling you to get a good grip on pipes and fittings. A pair of pliers will help you to adjust nuts and bolts, but these can damage fittings if you slip up, so get some smooth sleeves to fit. These tools are fine for the small maintenance jobs you’re likely to be carrying out, but for bigger home plumbing jobs it’s best to get the professionals in, otherwise things could take a turn for the worse.
Related Plumbing Information from Horizon Services...
Monday, October 11, 2010
The Importance of Pipe Insulation
Winter's Coming...Are Your Pipes Protected?Pipe insulation is probably something you never think about as a homeowner. The fact is, though, that most home builders don’t think about it much either. Skimping on pipe insulation is one of the first places that shady contractors look to cut corners in order to present customers with a more attractive bottom line. However, proper pipe insulation is one of the most important facets of your home’s infrastructure; not only does insulation improve the performance and life of your plumbing, it also protects them against damage from extreme temperatures or weather.
If you feel that your home’s plumbing system is not properly insulated, you should consult a plumbing professional immediately. Here are some important things you should know about pipe insulation:
Frozen Pipes
The most serious threat to poorly insulated pipes is freezing temperatures. When the mercury drops, standing water left in pipes can freeze and expand, causing tiny cracks that may break open or burst altogether. It is essential that exposed pipes are properly insulated, especially in areas prone to below-zero temperatures. The cost of additional insulation is minute when you think about the cost of repairing damages caused by a burst pipe.
Obviously, outdoor pipes should be insulated, but even exposed pipes in your home can freeze if the temperature gets low enough. Be sure to look over pipes in the basement, attic, crawl spaces, under sinks, in utility rooms or garages, and in the laundry room and insulate them. If you should lose power during a winter storm or go on vacation during a cold snap, you could be forced to deal with the consequences of frozen or burst pipes.
Energy Costs
Believe it or not, insulating pipes can significantly impact your overall energy consumption. As utility costs rise and amid growing concerns about the environment, homeowners all over the country are paying more attention to how they use energy. Proper insulation around pipes limits heat transfer and provides a vapor barrier against moisture, which improves the thermal efficiency of your home and saves you money.
Water Damage
Poorly insulated pipes allow water to condense, which leaves pipes susceptible to standing water that can freeze in cold weather. This can cost you thousands of dollars in water damage to walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture. Condensation can also speed the deterioration of pipes, causing erosion, leaks, cracks, and gaps. By adding a bit of extra insulation, you can eliminate the potential for water damage from burst pipes and erosion.
Insulation Materials
The biggest problem with pipe insulation is keeping it dry. Traditional pipe insulation includes materials like fiberglass and minerals; these have been joined by flexible and rigid closed-cell glass products. Glass insulation provides a better barrier against moisture, helping pipes stay dry. Some contractors also use a wicking material that wraps around pipes to help absorb moisture and carry it away from the insulation jacket, where it evaporates. For underground pipes, most new insulation is made from polyurethane foam, which offers excellent protection and limits moisture accumulation.
Related Information from Horizon Services...
Monday, November 30, 2009
Winterizing Your Plumbing and Home to Prevent Water Damage
Even in areas like Maryland, Delaware and Southeastern Pennsylvania that have relatively mild winters, sudden snow or ice storms can do major damage to your property if you’re not prepared. Your plumbing system is especially vulnerable to sudden freezes and cold snaps. Fortunately, a little pre-season preparation can save you a lot of plumbing headaches later in the winter. Here are some fast and easy tips that you can do now to prevent potentially thousands of dollars worth of water damage later.First thing you should do is identify all areas in and around your home that are most likely to freeze. This includes parts of your home's plumbing system that are located in an unheated crawl space, a basement or an exterior wall with little insulation. Also check outside pipes and hoses. Look for any signs of leaks or damage. If you see any, fix them now. are the most likely to freeze.
If you have had problems with frozen pipes that have frozen in the past or think a pipe is vulnerable to freezing, insulate them. The easiest and cheapest way to prevent a frozen pipe is to use foam insulation tubes on pipes exposed to cold climates. These insulation tubes are inexpensive and easy to install; just measure your pipes to get the correct size. You can also use heat tape to prevent freezing in pipes that have already been insulated. Heat tape is attached to the pipe and gives off a slight heat when plugged in. It is easy to install and can be found in most hardware stores.
To prevent pipes from freezing never turn off the heat in your home. Broken water pipes can cause thousands of dollars in repairs and water damage clean-up and keeping your heat on, even at a low setting, will keep pipes warm enough to prevent freezing and bursting.
During the winter season, try not to let your plumbing lines be idle for too long; instead, periodically run water through each of your major fixtures. You can also leave a sink faucet on a fast drip to keep water flowing through your pipes, as moving water doesn’t have a chance to pool and freeze. Even a little water flow can significantly warm up pipes or melt/loosen any ice that may be starting to accumulate.
Be sure to drain and shut off any unused supply or drain lines, pipes, toilets, water heaters and fixtures, especially if they will be exposed to cold temperatures.
Drain and shut off water from outdoor hoses, sprinkler systems, and swimming pools. Remove and drain any external hoses; Store them inside the house or garage, when possible, to protect them from the cold.
Besides your plumbing, here are some other potential water damage threats you should also prepare for over the winter:
One of the most important considerations before the first snowflake ever hits the ground is to make sure your home’s roof is in good shape. If you notice any water spots or leaks inside your house have a professional come inspect the structure for problem areas. Even small leaks or gaps can mean big trouble during a major storm or when winter snow starts to melt. Make necessary repairs before cold weather sets in to prevent costly damage.
It’s also important to keep snow and ice off your roof. Your best bet is to hire someone to do this for you, as it can be very dangerous work. You might even consider installing a roof heater system that will melt snow and ice on your roof, preventing it from accumulating. There are also chemicals available at many hardward stores that you can toss onto a snowy or icy roof that can stimulate melting.
Ice dams are a major concern for many homeowners. Ice dams form when attic spaces are insufficiently insulated, making them warm in the winter; this warmth melts snow on your roof. The snow melts and refreezes over and over again, piling on layers of ice until a dam is formed. These can become so heavy that they can rip gutters, soffits and trim away from the side of your house. Make sure your attic is properly insulated—it should be cold in the winter and warm in the summer. Proper attic insulation will also increase your home’s energy efficiency and can save you money on utility bills.
Clean your gutters thoroughly before the first snowfall of the season. Get rid of leaves and debris that can clog gutters and storm drains, which increase the chances of an ice dam forming on your roof.
If you are physically able to do your own snow removal, consider purchasing a snow blower. While expensive, they will make short work of clearing driveways and sidewalks. If you can’t buy a snow removal machine, invest in an ergonomic snow shovel to ease strain on your back and arms. If physical limitations prevent you from shoveling, think about hiring a contractor to plow your driveway or asking a neighbor to clear your sidewalks. Regular snow removal will prevent damage to your driveway and walkways, and will make your home safer for your family and guests.
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