Are you ready for falling temperatures?
Categories: Homeowner Tips | Posted: November 13, 2013
With the change in seasons comes a reminder to perform maintenance on your home, lowering energy bills and saving you the headache of home repair. We would like to make some suggestions to help keep your home operating properly during the colder winter months and years to come:
1. Remove snow and ice from concrete surfaces as soon as possible. However, DO NOT use salt or any other chemical to de-ice. Either one could cause your concrete’s surface to flake off. Also, if there are cracks in your exterior concrete, fill them with a concrete filler that can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. This will prevent water from getting into the crack, freezing, expanding and causing more cracks and damage.
2. To protect water lines from freezing, please disconnect all your garden hoses from the hose bib (exterior faucets). Leaving hoses attached, even if they might be “drained”, will cause a vapor barrier, which will not allow the hose bib to drain properly causing the water in the hose bib to freeze, expand and burst. It will not be noticeable until you turn your hose bib on. In addition, we highly recommend installing a hose bib insulating cover will provide additional protection. They can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot.
3. Remember to shut the water off at the meter supplying your irrigation system and drain during the winter months or if the irrigation is on the same meter with the house, please shut the water off at the shut off value located close to the water meter. If the irrigation lines stay pressurized with water, the water could freeze, expand and burst the irrigation line. For more information or assistance, please contact a qualified Irrigation Contractor.
4. To maximize performance and efficiency, have your heating and cooling system serviced by a licensed contractor.
7. As you run the heat in your house, you might notice corners of your crown moldings, base boards and casing open up slightly. As the heat dries the moisture inside your home, the trim and caulking will experience some shrinkage. Also, on pleasant days, open up your windows to allow your house to breathe. Needing to fill those joints with a white latex painters caulk is common and should become a part of your annual homeowner maintenance routine.
8. In the event of extremely low temperatures, water lines that are located on exterior wall might freeze. To protect water lines from freezing, please leave bathroom doors open and the vanity doors open to allow the heat to circulate better. For extra precaution, allowing the faucets to drip slightly will help.
It is our greatest desire to have your home performing properly for years to come. Proper homeowner maintenance will protect yourself and your investment. For more information on homeowner maintenance tips, you can visit www.2-10.com. Also if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 256-489-0724 or warranty@jeffbentonhomes.com.