Looks like Winter has arrived!
Every winter, many homeowners face the expense and inconvenience of frozen water pipes, which may in turn cause a leak or break. You can cross these types of problems off your list by following a few simple steps:
Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses. Detaching the hose allows water to drain from the pipe. Otherwise, a single hard, overnight freeze can burst either the faucet or the pipe its connected to.
Insulate pipes or faucets in unheated areas. If you have pipelines in an unheated garage or cold crawl space under the house, wrap the water pipes before temperatures plummet. Hardware or building supply stores will have good pipe wrapping materials available. Seek the assistance of a professional if you are uncertain.
Seal off access doors, air vents and cracks. Repair broken basement windows. Winter winds whistling through overlooked openings can quickly freeze exposed water pipes. Don't plug air vents, your furnace or water heater needs them for good combustion.
Find the master shut off valve. It may be near the water heater or the washing machine. Most likely its where the water line comes into your house from the street. If a pipe burst anywhere in the house (kitchen, bathroom, basement or crawl space), this valve will turn the water off. After you locate the valve, paint it a bright color or hang a tag on it so you can find it quickly in an emergency. Be sure that all family members also know where the shut off valve is located.
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