Atlanta home owners had a rude awakening this past Monday, or a great awakening if you were a youngster, with six plus inches of fluffy white snow covering everything as far as the eye could see. As far as the kids were concerned it was days off school, fun in the snow, hot chocolate, and maybe a warm fire to sit by when they came in from all the wintery fun seldom experienced in the Atlanta area.
For the homeowner it was somewhat of a different story. After the playtime, hot chocolate, and a little fireside time, there were other more worrisome things to be considered such as...
Cold, cold, cold! When temperatures drop and stay below freezing for several days and down into the teens at night there's a high likelihood of the pipes and outside hose bibs freezing.
When water freezes it expands and can easily burst these pipes. To safeguard against this hazard there are several things you should consider doing. First, locate your outside hose bibs. Then find the water cut off valve for each one and turn the water off. After it's off, open the outside hose bibs to drain any remaining water. In homes with crawl spaces you may find the valve in the crawl space just behind the hose bib. These may be a little more difficult to locate. However, while you are under the house check to see if your water lines are insulated. If they aren't you should consider insulating them. Keep in mind though that insulation does not generate heat, it only retards the rate of heat loss. Even well insulated supply pipes will freeze if exposed to sub-freezing and sub-zero temperatures for a prolonged period of time. With all that said, one option you may consider is to install thermostatically controlled electric heating tapes on the pipes, then cover them with insulation to keep the heat in.
If you or someone you know needs a certified Atlanta Home Inspector, please contact Anthony Martin at 770-906-7294 for more information.
