Prevent Frozen Pipes in Your Home

A plumbing pipe in a friend's condo froze and burst recently, flooding two floors of an eight-story building, and leaving three and a half feet of standing water. Not only were the tenants whose condos were flooded displaced from their homes while repairs were made, their furniture and belongs were ruined.

[Fun fact for renters: your belongings are not covered under your landlord's insurance policy, even in cases of flooding caused by burst pipes. Watch out for a February blog article about renters insurance for tips on how to prevent this.]

We hear horror stories about frozen pipes and the damage they cause from homeowners and renters alike every year when the weather turns wintery. So we decided it would be helpful to share tips on how to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Frozen pipes are one of the most common causes of property damage when temperatures drop. A burst pipe can cost upwards of $5,000 in water damage, according to IBHS research.

Busted water pipes are a much bigger problem than you might imagine. According to State Farm Insurance, more than 250,000 homes are damaged annually by frozen or burst water pipes, ranking second only to hurricanes in terms of damage and repair costs. However, unlike hurricanes, frozen water pipes can be prevented.

Taking preventive measures before cold weather hits, such as keeping temperatures above 32 degrees (the freezing point for water), can prevent pipes from freezing, and the costly damage that goes with them. Most plumbers recommend keeping heat at 55 degrees when temperatures are frosty.

Homeowners - check out the tips and link below for tips on how to repair burst pipes and prevent them from freezing in the first place. Condo and apartment owners - pass this on to your board. Renters  share these tips with your landlord. Here are some simple precautions to follow:

Prevent Frozen Pipes

• Provide a reliable back-up power source to ensure continuous power to the building.
• Insulate all attic penetrations.
• Ensure proper seals on all doors and windows.
• Seal all wall cracks and penetrations, including domestic and fire protection lines, electrical conduit, other utility service line, etc.
• Install insulation and/or heat trace tape with a reliable power source on various wet sprinkler system piping. This includes main lines coming up from underground passing through a wall as well as sprinkler branch lines. 
• Place a monitored automatic excess flow switch on the main incoming domestic water line to provide early detection of a broken pipe or valve when the space is unoccupied.

Source: Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety

For more information on how to prevent frozen pipes, and the pipes most at risk, click here.

  

The homeowner’s to-do list: Here’s where to start

Time to get your property in shape after winter.

Now that the seasons have turned, it’s time to assess how your property weathered the winter. This is a good time to make a “to-do” list to prevent property maintenance and liability issues.

Starting from the top:

Roof – Have a roofer check for lifting, curling or missing shingles, or shingles that have suffered granular loss. Remove any debris or built-up moss that can reduce your roof’s life expectancy. Clean gutters of any leaves or debris.

Siding and gutters – Repair any damaged or loose siding; replace any damaged gutters and fascia.

Exterior paint – Warm weather is also a great opportunity to paint siding or doors on your home or garage. A fresh coat of paint can help protect your home’s exterior from the elements.

Windows – Replace and reglaze any windows that may have been broken or lost their seal over the cold winter months. These repairs can also help keep air conditioning costs lower in warm months. Check caulking around windows, basement window wells and other areas where water may seep in.

Railings – Inspect all handrails and porch rails; make sure they’re securely fastened to prevent falls.

Sidewalks and driveways – Since outdoor activities rise with the thermometer, repair any sidewalk or driveway cracks or shifted cement to reduce the chance a guest could trip or fall.

Outdoor lighting – Replace burnt-out bulbs in your outdoor lighting so that porches, steps and walkways have adequate lighting.

Play equipment – Before turning your children loose in the yard, check play equipment for sturdiness and mend gaps in fences. Cold temperatures and precipitation can take a larger toll than expected on these items.

Other equipment – Have your air conditioning serviced before the cooling season, and clean out your clothes dryer vent to prevent a common fire hazard. Replace worn caulking around faucets, and inspect pipes to make sure everything is in working order. Check batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and in your sump pump.

A safe home makes for a happy homeowner….and an enjoyable spring!

Submitted by Laura Lewis