Before you know it, the days will have gotten both shorter and colder. The task of how to winterize your home comes to mind.
Preventing frozen pipes and the water damage they can bring is one of those "no fun" tasks in the life of a home or commercial building owner. Water damage is one of the leading causes of mold in homes and buildings, especially when fast drying gets difficult to achieve due to low temperatures. With the temperatures winter brings, it will be much more fun to crawl around in your crawl space now, before those cold winter temperatures hit.
The holidays seem to be just around the corner. There will be much to do to get ready for winter festivities, cooking, cleaning, shopping, and general merry making. Although it may not be your top priority, winterizing your home is just as important as finding the right holiday gift for everyone on your list. Here are a few tips from STOP Restoration to help you get a head start in preventing frozen pipes.
Know where your main water shut off valve is located. Make sure you can easily access it any time of day or night. Water damage from burst pipes doesn't always happen immediately. Slow leaks can add up... much like the slow tortoise's pace in the race against the hare.
Disconnect and drain garden hoses. Store them where they'll be protected from the elements.
Insulate exterior water lines or faucets that will still be used during winter months. If water spigots have a shut off valve, shut them off when not in use. The installation of freeze proof spigots might be worth looking into as well.
Make sure exterior openings like foundation vents and basement windows are shut and in good repair.
Open up cabinets located on the exterior walls of your home to allow warmer air from the house to circulate around supply lines.
If you'll be away for several days, set your thermostat to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Have a friend or family member check in on the house in order to catch any problems early on.
Allow your faucets to drip. Moving water may prevent the pipes from freezing, or at least prevent water pressure from building up (and becoming water damage).
Insulate around any pipes that supply outside water faucets. Keeping pipes on the inside of a wall warm will help keep water in the pipes from freezing.
STOP also provides mold remediation and other indoor environmental issues like odor, smoke cleaning, etc. No matter what has you concerned about damage or the threat of damage to your home, give STOP a call.
Use these 8 tips as your best shot at preventing frozen pipes, water damage and possible mold. But if all fails in your efforts to winterize your home and disaster strikes, call STOP Restoration for water damage restoration. You'll be in good hands for professional water damage restoration with STOP. We live by our motto: Restoration ...done right the first time.
