You know those weeks Texas is famous for where we get all four seasons in one week? This is one of those weeks. We were in our shorts at the park Sunday afternoon, and by next Sunday it will be in the teens with a chance of ice and snow. Yes, friends, winter is coming, and it’s time to get your house ready. We’ve covered this topic pretty thoroughly here at Upon Closer Inspection, so this week, we’re going to refer back to some of our better winter weather advice, to make sure you know what to do during a freeze.
1. Get Out Your Checklist
Y’all saved this one last year, didn’t you? Well, just in case, here it is again. This handy list tells you just what to do during a freeze both inside and outside your house, from the obvious, like keeping your faucet dripping, to the not-so-obvious, like how to turn off your emergency water shut off (and why).
2. Know How To Check For Burst Pipes
We told you how to use your water meter a couple of years ago to check for water leaks after a freeze that might indicate a burst pipe. Sometimes it’s obvious because water is flooding your house, but other times the damage is happening under your house or underground and you don’t know right away. By following these steps you can check to see if anything is amiss after a freeze:
3. Protect Your Pool
Every year, the freeze comes, and the freeze goes, and the pool companies make a ton of money. Dang, it’s expensive to own a pool. There’s only so much you can do, but do it! Insulate your pool equipment, and keep it running during a freeze. Check out this list of things to do to keep your pool safe during a freeze:
4. Have Fun (And be Safe)!
I know we just got done with winter break, and in case of a snow day, you may be fresh out of ideas for forced family fun, but frozen family fun is fabulous! Go ice skating in the driveway! Send those dolls and action figures down the frozen slide at the park! And if anything crazy happens like this frozen toilet, send pics!
Stay warm and safe this week! As they say, if you don’t like the weather in Texas, wait a minute. And if you need a home inspection, call Green Scene Home Inspections.
