Essential tips for preparing your home for fall.

As the cool weather of fall rolls in, homeowners should have a laundry list of items to attend to in securing their homes for winter months. To help keep your home running smoothly throughout the winter, here are some winter maintenance tips composed from Realty Times. areas to address are cleaning the gutter, cutting back tree branches close to the house, storing the outdoor furniture, checking for leaks around the windows, and having the heating unit serviced for the winter season. Addressing these areas, as well as more maintenance tips, you can help assure that your home will make it through the winter season.

Are your pipes protected

As the harsh days of January continue, we are finding record low temperatures across the country.  Most areas have not been spared, even the deep south.  This time of year, with freezing temperatures persisting for days on end,  homeowners need to be very aware of the potential threat of...yes, the dreaded pipe burst due to it being frozen.  According to State Farm Insurance, roughly a quarter million homes across the country are effected by pipes freezing and bursting each year.  A costly issue for the homeowner.  As the water freezes in the pipe, it creates pressure in the pipe and can cause a slight burst.  Most people assume that the pipe just bursts open.  In fact, most often, the culprit is a slight tear. An eight inch crack in a water pipe can spill 250 gallons of water a day.  A small hole, but a lot of water. Much reason for concern.

So what should a homeowner do?  To start, the pipes that are most likely to freeze are those that are located on the outside wall of the house. Although exterior walls should have proper insulation, the cold air still may find its way into the space and travel up the pipe, causing a freeze.  Pipes that run through the attic, garage, basement, and crawlspaces are also areas to identify.  These pipes should be insulated if they pose a threat.  Foam tubes can be purchased and wrapped around the pipes.  Pipe insulators will help keep the pipes warm, making it less likely that they will freeze.  Heat tape can also be used to wrap pipes.  Next, seal leaks that could allow cold air to reach pipes. To further reduce the risk of pipes freezing, disconnect garden hoses and, if practical, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This reduces the chance of freezing in the short span of pipe just inside the house.  If you have pipes that are located on an outside wall, such as a kitchen or bathroom sink, experts suggest opening the cabinet doors to expose the trap and pipes to the warmer interior air.  During  extremely cold periods, or if you are located in an area that remains below freezing for extended periods of time, it is also suggested that you leave the faucet open slightly, so that water is dripping out, both hot and cold.

What if your pipes freeze? Don't take a chance.  If you turn the faucet on and nothing comes out, the pipes may have frozen. Leave the faucets on and call a plumber.  Never use a torch to try and thaw the freeze. 

The thought of frozen pipes is a homeowners nightmare, however, with some simple maintenance and precautions, this can be avoided.