Are You and Your Home Ready for Two-Year Lows and Snow?

In the words of the great Bing Crosby, “Baby It’s Cold Outside!”  As you may have already heard or felt, this week’s forecast calls for some of the coldest temperatures the DC area has experienced in at least two years and a strong possibility of snow or a wintry, freezing mix on Friday. To help keep your family and home safe, consider the following.

First, Be Sure your Hose Bibs are Ready
When water freezes in a copper pipe, the ice wins and the copper and your home loses. To avoid this potentially costly headache, it is essential that you take the proper steps to get water out of pipes in areas where freezing may occur.

If you haven’t already done so, follow these quick steps:

• First, inside the house, shut off the water coming into the hose bib line.
• Next, outside the house, take three steps:

• open the hose bib
• disconnect the hose, and
• remove or open the backflow prevention device.

• Then, open the drain device at the shut off in the house.
• Lastly, leave everything open. Sometimes it takes a while for the water to drain, and since there is no reason to close anything until the spring, it is safest to leave it all open.

As there are a number of different styles of valves and backflow devices, let us know if you need help with this important preventative measure.

Then, Consider these Other Important Winter Tips:

• Are you Prepared for a Winter Storm?
  Tips for alternate heat sources, planning ahead and caring for your home.
• Longing for a Cozy Fire?
  Important tips for fireplace safety and maintenance.
• Is your home ready? Follow this Winterizing Checklist 
  A few steps to take each Fall to ensure your home is ready for the season ahead.