Before cold weather sets in:
- Know what areas of your home, such as basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms, and outside walls, are most vulnerable to freezing.
- Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines by fixing windows, insulating walls, sealing cracks, closing off crawl spaces, and eliminating drafts near doors.
- Make sure everyone in your household knows where your main water shut-off valve is. If a pipe freezes or bursts, shut the water off immediately.
- Protect your pipes and water meter. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or an electrical pipe heater. If your meter is located in a pit outside, keep the pit lid closed tightly and let any snow that falls cover it; snow acts as insulation, so don’t disturb it.
Check back next week when we tell you how to protect your home when temperatures fall below zero and what to do if your pipes freeze.
If you need help protecting your home call (973) 887-1334 or schedule service on our website.
