Fall is the Best Time to Winterize Homes

With the seasons changing, now is the time to secure homes against freezing pipes, according to American Water Resources, the exclusive provider of service line protection programs for Metro Water Services. Mark LeChevallier, Ph.D., director of Innovation and Environmental Stewardship for American Water, stresses that it's important to make preparations to prevent water damage from frozen and burst pipes before temperatures plunge.

“Although the winter season can pose many challenges to a homeowner, one of the biggest and most costly is the risk of frozen pipes. When ice expands inside pipes, it can crack and burst the pipe, leaving homeowners with a costly plumber bill, and thousands of dollars in damages from water leaking inside the house,” LeChevallier said.

According to Dr. LeChevallier, winterizing is just as important for homeowners in parts of the country that experience only periodic freezes as it is for those in traditional cold weather states, since home construction in southern locations will sometimes include pipes in unprotected locations without insulation, including crawl spaces, and these can be particularly at risk.

Luckily, all these problems are preventable by evaluating areas of vulnerability throughout the home. Implementing the following winterization tips now can help avoid headaches -- and repair bills -- later:

• Drain and shut off the water to any unoccupied residence such as a summer or vacation home. A loss of power during a winter storm could cause pipes to freeze.
• Drain any hoses and air conditioner pipes, and check for excess water pooled in equipment. If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly. Close them when water appears.
• Search your house for uninsulated pipes, especially in unheated areas. Protect exposed pipes by wrapping them with heat tape (follow manufacturers' instructions carefully to avoid a fire hazard), premolded foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation, available at hardware stores. If you’ve already installed heat tape on exposed pipes, inspect the tape for cracks or fraying and make any needed repairs.
• Clean out gutters and downspouts to remove debris that can freeze and cause clogs during cold weather.
• Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations, particularly where cable TV or phone lines enter the house, using caulking to keep cold winds away from pipes.
• Add extra insulation to the attic to prevent warm air from creeping into your roof, causing ice damage to the roof and gutters.
• Set the thermostat at 55 degrees if you’re going out of town. Although a lower temperature might be fine, this setting is considered to be safe to prevent pipe damage.

American Water Resources is partnered with Metro Water Services to offer protection programs to homeowners, insulating them from the high cost of repairs associated with frozen and burst pipes as well as normal wear and tear. To learn more about these elective programs, or to enroll, visit AWRUSA.com/Nashville or call 1-888-758-8935.

American Water Resources

American Water Resources (AWR) is a provider of Water Line Protection, Sewer Line Protection and In-Home Plumbing Emergency Programs to homeowners in 43 states and Washington, D.C., and currently services over 1.4 million contracts. AWR has been providing protection programs for more than 14 years, satisfying more than nine out of ten customers nationwide and earning an A+ Rating from the Better Business Bureau. AWR also provides its Service Line Protection Programs to homeowners through municipal partnerships with the New York City Water Board, Nashville Metro Water Services and others. AWR is a subsidiary of American Water, the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. For more information, visit the American Water Resources website at www.AWRUSA.com.

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