As homeowners we do our best to maintain our homes... sometimes the forces of nature overwhelm us.
With the temperatures dipping into the teens it is important to remind ourselves to take certain cautions.
During extended periods of sub-freezing temperatures, we should keep our thermostat settings to at least 60 degrees throughout the home.
Linda Cook, Personal Insurance director at ECBM reminds, “Pay special attention to areas where there are drafts. Air can get into this areas and cause pipes to freeze.”
To prevent exterior faucets from freezing, shut them off from inside the home and drain the remaining water from the pipes. Any exterior sprinklers should be winterized.
Remember still water freezes faster than running water. If you have a bathroom or sink that is not used frequently you may want to run water in those rooms to prevent freezing.
If you are away from home for any extended period of time, turn off the water supply to your home. When possibly keep your heat on to prevent water that is in the pipes from freezing.
READ MORE:
Permanent measures that can be taken:
Install automatic water shut off feature. This can be added to an existing central station alarm system. This will alert your alarm company if a leak occurs and will automatically shut off the water flow to your home.
Add a low temperature sensor to your central station alarm system. Again, this will serve to alert your alarm company if the temperature of your home reaches an unsafe level.
Both of these measures can provide an additional credit on your homeowner policy.
If Water damage occurs:
- Locate the main water shut-off valve and close it.
- Move undamaged items away from the affected areas
- Call us! ECBM has a 24/7 phone number to report the incident. Let us guide you through the process.
