Prepare Your Home to Prevent Freezing Pipes

This winter the Baltimore area is experiencing freezing temperatures. When the temperature dips below freezing, I review my list of cold-weather house tasks that help it operate at peak performance while saving me money.

• Protect indoor pipes: Install pipe insulation around any exposed copper or PVC water pipe. Use it under sinks, in attics and crawl spaces, and on pipes along exterior walls. Pay special attention to unheated basements, cellars or crawl spaces, you may want to consider wrapping some heat tape around exposed pipes. 
• Winterize exterior hose bibs or spigots: Detach garden hoses, turn the water off to exterior hose bibs, and install faucet covers. This will help prevent frozen pipes that may burst. When water freezes, it expands and applies pressure on the water pipes thus bursting the pipe. 
• Prevent freezing pipes: When we have several days of freezing weather, it may be worth running a small stream of water from an indoor faucet farthest from the main shut off. It allows the water to keep flowing and prevents freezing. 
• Seal gaps around windows and doors: Use foam tape, caulk, or weatherstripping to seal gaps and keep cold air out.

Not sure how to do one of these tasks? Give me a call and I am glad to walk you through it. 

If you have a water emergency, you can contact Baltimore City for a water emergency. Baltimore City supplies water to most homes on public water in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.