10 Cold Weather Plumbing To-Dos
January and February are notoriously cold, especially here in Central Jersey (we all know how brutal winters can be)! While it can be tempting to avoid going outside unless it’s necessary, we recommend winterizing your home sooner rather than later—starting with your HVAC and plumbing.
How to Winterize Your Plumbing & HVAC: 10 Tips for Your Home
- Prevent your pipes from freezing. Burst pipes are no fun and the last thing you want to deal with.
- Disconnect, drain, and store away your garden hose.
- Close and drain shut-off valves that lead to the outdoors.
- Inspect and clean the sump pump pit.
- Fix any plumbing leaks (even something as small as a faucet link in that basement bathroom that is hardly used).
- Drain your water heater (to clear out sediment and other buildup inside the tank).
- Check the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.
- If you haven’t done so already (and we hope you did!), change your air filters. Ideally, this should have been done at the beginning of heating season.
- Apply weatherstripping around windows and doors. These are two of the biggest sources of air leaks.
- Leaving for vacation (or even a long weekend getaway)? Set the thermostat to 55 – 58 degrees, and do not turn off the heat. You can even keep cabinets (that back up to an outside wall) open so that warm air more easily circulates.
Plumbing Repair in Central Jersey
Taking preventative measures like this has its benefits—and it can certainly save you money and stress—but, unfortunately, it’s not a guarantee against every problem. When something does happen and you need plumbing repair, it helps to have an experienced company in your corner. If you live in Central Jersey, that company is Arctic Air Conditioning!
Since 1977, we have been keeping families in Monmouth, Middlesex, Mercer, and Ocean counties comfortable and safe every winter (and all year long). Contact us to learn more or schedule service!
