November Maintenance Tips
November 23, 2011
It is getting cold again. Now that you have hopefully finished raking the leaves and cleaning your gutters...it's time for some November home maintenance tips.
Avoid Winter Water Damage
- Make sure your attic space is properly ventilated and insulated to prevent damage from snow melting and re-freezing that causes Ice Dams.
- Drain and clear any exterior hose bibs not protected with an anti-siphon valve. Drain and remove all garden hoses. Have sprinkler systems professionally winter proofed.
- Wrap exposed pipes with insulation sleeves to prevent them from freezing and bursting. Caulk cracks and holes near those pipes in outer walls and the foundation.
- Leave kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open during cold spells to allow warm air to circulate around pipes that run along the exterior of the house.
- Trickle water through faucets connected to pipes that run through unheated or unprotected spaces.
- If your house will be unoccupied for an extended period of time, shut off and drain your water system.
