Seasonal Advice for Homeowners

Good Morning,

Now that the heat of summer is over, I wanted to take a minute to pass on some tips for dealing with the coming cold weather. As always our team is here to answer any questions or help with any situation that may arise.

Make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working and have good batteries. If you don’t know how old the batteries are, change them. You should have a smoke detector in each bedroom, in the hall outside of any bedrooms and on each level of your home. Don’t forget the attic and basement. Carbon monoxide detectors should be located on each floor, but not in close proximity to the heating system.

Heating Systems: Your boiler or furnace should be serviced on a regular basis by a qualified technician. Oil burners are exceptionally susceptible to breakdowns, but all systems need to be properly maintained. Some simple things you can do include making sure there are no combustible materials near the heating system or the water heater, changing the air filter if you have forced hot air heat and checking for leaks or corrosion on pipes around your boiler, if you have baseboard heat.

Fireplace: If you have a wood burning stove or fireplace, the chimney and firebox should be inspected and cleaned at least once a year, and more, if you use it frequently. Internal cracks or creosote buildup could cause a chimney fire.

Frozen Pipes: Most pipe freezing will occur on an exterior wall, such as a kitchen sink under a window or in a garage. Leaving a sink base cabinet door open to allow heat in will help. If there is shower or tub on an outside wall, open the valves to allow the water to drip during exceptionally cold days. If your pipes do freeze, a space heater or heat gun can be used with caution to defrost them. Do not leave frozen pipes unattended, they could burst and flood your home.

Ice Damming: Ice damming could result in water leaking into the home, usually through the top of a window or door frame or through a ceiling light fixture. The ice needs to be removed from the perimeter of the roof. Once the ice is removed, there are both temporary and permanent solutions available.

Backup Systems: If you have a backup generator, make sure any snow or ice is cleared from in-front of the air inlet and exhaust areas, check the oil, check the battery water level and, if the battery is over 3 years old. it should be load tested. Portable generators should be at least 10 feet away from any window or door and always run outside the home. If you have a sump pump, check to make sure it comes on when the float is lifted, and if it has a battery backup system, that the battery water level is correct and the electrical connections are clean and secure.

Excessive Snow Build Up: With an extended period of below freezing temperatures, snow and ice continue building with each storm. Flat roofs and old decks are most susceptible to collapse due to the heavy snow load. Excessive snow should be removed as soon as possible.

Johnny Fix It Home Improvement