Preventing Frozen Pipes this Winter
As the temperatures begin to drop, snowy days and arctic temperatures are not far away. One big concern for homeowners when the temperatures begin dropping is preventing frozen pipes. This can lead to a huge problem, which can eventually lead to the pipe bursting resulting in extensive damage and flooding in the home.
There are some important steps you can take to prevent frozen pipes in your home this winter.
Keep the heat on. It can be tempting to turn off the heat when you are traveling or away for an extended period of time. While you can turn the heat down, we typically recommend not going below 60 degrees in the home to prevent frozen pipes.
A dripping faucet. Those homeowners concerned about frozen pipes, should allow the faucet to drip slightly. This will prevent pressure from building up, resulting in a burst pipe. This is particularly useful if your heating system is not working properly while you wait for a service call.
Open interior doors. By opening cabinets and closet doors, the heat from the rest of the house will help to keep the area containing your pipes warm, reducing the risk of freezing.
Seal cracks. Take the time now to caulk any holes or cracks near pipes. Be sure to do this on both interior and exterior walls, which will not only keep the cold air out but also the warm air in.
Insulate. Many pipes in basements and attics are particularly prone to freezing because they do not have adequate insulation. The pipes in these areas of the home can be fitted with foam rubber insulation to minimize the chance of the pipe freezing.
At Sierra Air the winter months are a busy time, particularly those first very cold days. While we try to be as timely as possible with our service calls, the best course of action is to have your heating system tuned up and checked for problems before one arises.
Call 775-583-4555 or visit us http://sierraair.com/contact/ to schedule a preventative maintenance on your heating system.
Turning Down the Thermostat at Night
It can be tempting to set the temperature way back at night in an effort to save money. Keep in mind though that ultimately your heating system will have to make up for it, working harder to return to a comfortable temperature in the morning.
Despite that, this strategy can save you money. Your heating system will run consistently to catch up instead of turning off and on throughout the night and this will ultimately save energy. The best solution is to find an overnight temperature that suits everyone living in the house.
Then using a programmable thermostat, you can set the heat to turn back on before everyone rises. Programmable thermostats can go a long way to making this a strategy that is accepted by everyone in the house, giving the rooms time to heat up before the alarm clock goes off.
Intersted in upgrading to a programmable thermostat? Visit http://sierraair.com or call 775-583-4555 for a quotation.