Though Albuquerque may be having a bout of warmer weather at the moment, I hear winter weather is not done with us just yet. If you haven’t already taken steps to protect your home from extreme cold, take them now before you risk pipes freezing or worse. Here’s 6 steps you should take to keep your New Mexico home protected against winter cold.
1. Open faucets to keep pipes from freezing. Thaw pipes with safe heat sources. A blow dryer or space heater can be used to thaw pipes that have frozen. Don’t use blow torches as open flames are dangerous. Keep faucets open so water can begin to flow once thawed. You should have a slow drip.
2. Disconnect garden hoses. Drain them and cover exposed faucets and other plumbing with insulating foam covers.
3. Seal off cracks in window sills and thresholds. If you don’t have draft snakes, you can use rolled-up bath towels. With window air conditioners, prevent heat escape by covering them with something that will seal the cracks around the window. Covering the outside with a small tarp (velcro-sealed) is a great way to keep water (freezing to ice) out.
4. Spray an ice repellent or salt your steps and walkways. Particularly if you have cracks in your walkway, expanding and contracting ice can cause cracking and damage.
5. Drain birdbaths and fountains. Frozen water can easily damage them.
6. Leave your roof alone. Freezing weather is not the time to start any roofing projects. If an emergency problem arises, call a contractor.
Just a few precautions now can save your home cold weather mishaps later!
If you’d like to offer some home winterizing tips, be sure to leave them in the comments below.
And if you’re thinking about buying or selling your next home in metro Albuquerque, contact me today so I can help!
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