{"id":1530,"date":"2014-01-10T11:13:40","date_gmt":"2014-01-10T15:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/?p=1530"},"modified":"2021-11-23T17:31:26","modified_gmt":"2021-11-23T22:31:26","slug":"protect-your-home-from-extreme-cold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/10\/protect-your-home-from-extreme-cold\/","title":{"rendered":"Protect your home from extreme cold"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"extreme<\/a>
Prepare for winter (Infographic from fema.gov)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Seasonal weather can test the integrity of any home; yet winter can present some of the harshest weather of the year. Even with regular maintenance, extreme cold can take a toll on your home\u2019s pipes.\u00a0 Take measures to prepare your home <\/a>for the the winter.<\/p>\n

Burst pipes can not only flood your home\u2019s basement, but it can be a major repair expense.\u00a0 Nationwide Insurance states that among the 30,000 claims they received in the last three years for burst pipes, the average claim was $10,000 (nationwide.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

A common misconception about cold weather\u2019s effects on pipes is that a rupture is caused from frozen water inside the pipe.\u00a0 However, it\u2019s not ice, per se, that makes a pipe burst; but rather the pressure that builds inside the pipe that makes it rupture. Increasing pressure can build up in a pipe between an ice blockage and a closed faucet; when the pressure is excessive, the pipe can burst.<\/p>\n

Experts describe ice buildup in pipes as being more common than people know.\u00a0 Besides temperature, wind chill is sometimes the culprit of freezing pipes; cracks in walls or foundations can allow chilled air to come into contact water pipes.\u00a0 Although pipes can freeze any time the temperature dips below freezing \u2013 extra precautions should be taken when the weather becomes extreme.<\/p>\n

Common measures that many take to protect their home\u2019s pipes during cold winter months include, \u201cthe dripping faucet,\u201d and \u201cwinterizing.\u201d A dripping faucet, which is connected to vulnerable plumbing, helps mitigate air pressure that can build up in a pipe.\u00a0 Additionally, many experts recommend sealing areas where air leaks into the home; especially where pipes are located.\u00a0 Some experts also suggest insulating pipes.\u00a0 The materials in the pipe insulation sleeves and jackets is thought to insulate pipes from cold air much like the insulation in your home\u2019s walls and attic insulates the interior from cold air.\u00a0 There is no guarantee that your home\u2019s pipes won\u2019t burst; however, taking precautions may lessen the potential for damage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWinterizing<\/a>\u201d is a term that describes the draining of water and pressure from the plumbing system. Experts recommend winterizing your home if you plan an extended winter trip, leaving your home vacant.\u00a0 Winterizing a vacant home that you are selling is especially important; ruptured pipes are not a surprise you want the day before your scheduled settlement.<\/p>\n

Pipes can still freeze or rupture even when you take precautions. If you have a frozen pipe \u2013 call your plumber.\u00a0 Opening faucets can reduce air pressure in the system to help prevent a rupture.\u00a0 And although it is tempting to thaw frozen pipes on your own, it is recommended to have your plumber guide you; attempting to thaw frozen pipes without professional assistance can have hazardous results.\u00a0 Additionally, finding a frozen pipe can be tricky because they are often hidden inside walls and between floors.\u00a0 If a pipe does burst, close the main water valve immediately and call your plumber.<\/p>\n

Taking cold weather precautions is not just for your home; experts recommend ensuring your car is winter ready, as well as having an emergency kit<\/a> available in case of a power outage.\u00a0 Additional extreme weather precautions can be obtained from your insurance agent, FEMA <\/a>(ready.gov), and the Red Cross<\/a> (redcrossorg).<\/p>\n

Original located at https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/protect-your-home-from-extreme-cold<\/p>\n

\n

by Dan Krell<\/a> \u00a9
\nMore news and articles on \u201cthe Blog\u201d<\/a>
\nGoogle+<\/p>\n

<\/a>
\nDisclaimer<\/a>. This article is not intended to provide nor should it be relied upon for legal and financial advice. Readers should not rely solely on the information contained herein, as it does not purport to be comprehensive or render specific advice. Readers should consult with an attorney regarding local real estate laws and customs as they vary by state and jurisdiction. This article was originally published the week of January 6, 2014 (Montgomery County Sentinel). Using this article without permission is a violation of copyright laws. Copyright \u00a9 Dan Krell.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Seasonal weather can test the integrity of any home; yet winter can present some of the harshest weather of the year. Even with regular maintenance, extreme cold can take a toll on your home\u2019s pipes.\u00a0 Take measures to prepare your home for the the winter. Burst pipes can not only flood your home\u2019s basement, but … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Protect your home from extreme cold”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[178,173,399,13],"tags":[887,648,885,797,714],"class_list":["post-1530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-home-maintenance","category-home-repairs","category-house","category-real-estate","tag-home-maintenance","tag-home-repair","tag-home-repairs","tag-real-estate","tag-winter"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1VZLf-oG","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1530"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1530\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6327,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1530\/revisions\/6327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dankrell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}