Before the snow starts to fall, winterizing helps keep your home secure and safe. Winterizing your home can save you a lot of money on the long. You want to prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting, which can lead to excessive water damage in your home. Winterization is most important when a home will be vacant during the winter months, which means turning off the water and draining the water heater, ensuring all water is purged from your plumbing system.
We suggest setting the thermostat in your house no lower than 55°F (12°C). Also be sure to replace the battery in your thermostat. Ask a friend or neighbor to check your house daily to make sure it is warm enough to prevent freezing. Have a professional shut off and drain the water system, this will prevent a pipe burst.
These precautions are important because it does not take long for a pipe to burst. With a reasonable amount of insulation, even pipes in an unheated area could take up to 6-hours to freeze. This means that the air temperature must remain at 20° for about 6-hours before there is a risk of your pipes freezing.
But when a pipe bursts, it is because water expands when it freezes, adding considerable pressure on unyielding plumbing pipes. That pressure can cause a tiny leak at a joint or crack along the length of the pipe, unleashing the full flow of water inside your home.
