Winter is upon us, and much of the United States is experiencing freezing temperatures.

If you were surprised last week by the winter weather…don’t worry, we were too! Nevertheless, we live in a region where temperatures do drop below freezing. With that in mind, here are some tips to protect your home during our cold spells.  

Keep freezing pipes from bursting

Frozen water in pipes causes pressure to build and could result in the pipes bursting at their weakest point. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are particularly vulnerable to this concern, especially when they are subjected to cold air coming through utility line holes.

Follow these tips to keep your pipes from freezing:

• Fix exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping. The more insulation, the better.
• Use caulking to seal cracks and holes in and around foundations near water pipes.
• Disconnect garden hoses and turn off water supply to spigot or wrap and insulate outside spigots.
• Keep cabinets doors open during cold spells to allow warm air to circulate around pipes, especially in the kitchen or bathroom.
• Allow a slow trickle of water to flow through faucets connected to pipes to run through unheated or unprotected spaces.
• If your house is going to be vacant, keep the heat on or drain the pipes.