Amateur forecasters and the wooly worm predicted a snowy and cold 2015 winter. January passed without the snow and we all let out a collective sigh of relief. Perhaps many of us thought we were out of the woods and Spring would surely poke out of the ground soon. But along with Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction, February said, “not so fast!” And here we are with multiple inches of snow on the ground and bitter cold. Maeser can’t predict the weather or prevent it, but we can help you prevent some plumbing and heating issues due to the weather.
Prevention tips for the upcoming bitterly cold weather.
* Know the areas in your home that are most vulnerable, such as basements, unheated rooms, outside walls, crawl spaces, etc.
* Repair sources of cold air such as: repair broken windows, eliminating drafts near doors, insulate walls, etc.
* Know the location of your main water shut-off valve. Should a pipe freeze or bust in your home, shut the water off immediately.
* Protect your pipes especially on outside walls and allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep pipes from freezing.
* Open cabinet doors to keep the pipes a warmer room temperature.
If your pipes freeze:
* Shut off water immediately.
* Use a hair dryer on the frozen pipes.
* Once the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for leaks or cracks.
Reminders:
* Check on your neighbors to make sure they are staying warm and have essentials.
* Clear snow away from fire hydrants and make sure debris is cleared from storm drains.
* Bring your pets in your home.
If you need help:
Call Maeser to repair your pipes, get your water flowing again and keep your furnace in good working order .
