Preparing your home for winter is critical to ensure your comfort and safety during the cold. While the season is mild in Washington, there are still several steps homeowners can take to avoid issues and keep their home’s critical system operating at peak performance.
In this article, the expert plumbers at Robison Plumbing discuss the importance of winterizing your home and the steps you can take to prepare your home for the season.
The Importance of Home Winterization
Cold temperatures and heavy rain can put serious stress on your home systems. Preparing them can help prevent costly damage and emergency repairs. A winterized home can also ensure your comfort and safety and help you reduce energy usage and costs.
8 Steps for Home Winterizing
There are several key ways that homeowners can prepare for Washington’s winter, including:
- Insulate pipes: Exposed pipes and those in unheated areas like garages and basements can experience sudden temperature changes that can lead to freezing. By insulating them with heat tape or foam pipe insulation, you can avoid your pipes bursting.
- Keep a consistent temperature: It may be tempting to save money and energy by turning off heat at night or when you leave. However, letting temperatures get too low in your home can be dangerous. Instead, keep the temperature at a minimum of 55°F so that you don’t run the risk of issues with your pipes.
- Disconnect hoses: Turn off the water supply to your outdoor spigots and drain any remaining water as soon as you can. Roll up and store hoses to prevent issues.
- Blow out sprinkler lines: Drain and blow out any water from your sprinkler lines to prevent damage caused by freezing water.
- Flush your water heater: Winter cold means added reliance on hot water. To ensure that your water heater is working efficiently and effectively, flush the tank to remove sediment buildup and schedule water heater maintenance to prepare for the season.
- Prepare your floods: If your basement or crawl space is prone to flooding, protect yourself with a functional sump pump. Schedule sump pump installation to ensure that you’re safe from serious water damage or, if you have one already, test it to confirm it’s working properly.
- Locate your main water shut off: If a plumbing disaster happens, make sure you know where to shut off the water to your home. Quickly turning off your supply can reduce the water damage that occurs in your home.
- Fix minor leaks: Even small leaks can worsen during winter weather. Inspect your plumbing system for any signs of issues and schedule maintenance and plumbing repairs if necessary.
Schedule Plumbing Services in WA Today
If winter weather leaves you with a plumbing issue, don’t delay. Call Robison Plumbing for superior service. Our highly trained team is available 24/7 for emergency services with no overtime fees and onsite estimates. Plus, we’re backed by nearly 40 years of experience serving your neighbors.
Call us or contact us online to schedule plumbing services for your Washington home.
