Fall is a wonderful time of year, especially in the beautiful Ontario region. The red, orange and gold colors are spectacular and the air is brisk and cool! It is a fantastic time to get outside and do all those things you like to take care of around your home before the big freeze hits in Ontario. John the plumber here to give you some tips to protect your home and your belongings this autumn, and into the winter.
First, and we can never stress this enough, is turn off those outdoor taps. Almost every home is equipped with a shut-off on the inside of the house, and if not, please contact John the Plumber Kingston and have us install one for you. Turn those indoor shut offs off, head outside and open up those spigots and make sure all the water is drained out. Remove the hose and ensure that there are no cracks or leaks at the hose bib; failure to do any of the above can result in a catastrophe. Grade 8 science taught us that when water freezes, it expands. The pressure can cause cracks in the line, an flood your home. Not very pleasant!
If you have an area in your home that gets very cold and drafty and is not insulated well, those pipes can also freeze very easily especially in Kingston where the winters are long and cold and deep freezes are not just a possibility but almost a definite every year. Styrofoam, heat tape or actual insulation around the area can prevent headaches in the future.
Heading from Kingston to a balmy, sun drenched destination?
If you are going to be away from the home for an extended period of time, always make sure that your thermostat is set so that the house and pipes will not freeze. If the temperature goes below for too long all the pipes in your house can freeze – the results can be horrendous! You may well come home to broken toilets, pipes, sinks etc. The damage can be severe, and it is really easily preventable as long as you keep the thermostat set to at least 15 degrees while you are away. Additionally, a great idea is shutting off the main water, as well as opening all the taps and draining any existing water out afterwards. Just to be on the safe side!
Take a peek at your sump pump and pit, especially if you live in an area of Kingston where flooding is a major concern. If they are exposed to extreme cold, pumps can and will freeze, and be of no use to you when you really need them.
