Winterizing Your Home for Austin Texas Winter Storms
There are several things that you can (and should!) do as a renter to get your home ready for the winter, and weather winter freezes and storms with ease. While maintenance isn’t the most exciting winter task, the right planning can help to prevent mid-winter emergencies. And let’s face it; none of us want to be stuck with a broken pipe – or a broken heater, over Christmas! In addition to these tips and recommendations, check on the information provided in your Resident Handbook and Lease Agreement.
Proactive Purchase Recommendations
Before freezing weather arrives, we strongly recommend stocking up on some core home items. If you wait till a storm is upon us, the stores will be out of stock!
1) Faucet Covers
Buying hard cover outdoor faucet covers now (while they're in stock!) is core for the success of your home weathering any freezing Austin Texas weather. We recommend not buying the cheaper covers, and going for the hard exterior ones. These help provide better protection for your home. Even better, if you take them off after freeze season, you can re-use them next year!
2) Water Shut Off Key
Purchasing this "key" from your local hardware store can help ensure you're able to shut off the water to your home in the event of a broken pipe.
3) Plant Covers
Purchasing these covers for your outdoor plants can help keep them warm through a cold snap if you can't bring them inside!
4) Emergency Supplies
We always recommend keeping some emergency supplies on hand. Case of bottled water, food that can be prepared without electricity, medical supplies. If we go through another blackout, best to have them on hand, rather than risk it!
Proactive Action Items
1) Test Run Your Heater Now: Before winter arrives, it’s a good idea to switch the heater on and run it to ensure it’s working. It’s better to discover early on that there’s a problem rather than waiting until winter –when it can be hard/impossible to find a technician.
2) Locate the Water Shut Off Valve
It’s also important to know where the water shut-off valve is located. If something happens, like a burst pipe, turning the valve off can help prevent costly water damage. And if you’re planning on going away, consider turning the water off in case of a pipe burst while you’re gone. Who wants to come home to that? If you're unable to locate it, please call our office or your local water provider for assistance in advance!
3) Stow Seasonal Items
You’ll also want to ensure that your outside items –patio furniture, flower pots, and hoses are safely stowed away for the winter. This will help to keep them from getting damaged or blown away during a storm.
What To Do During A Freeze
Here are some of our top action items during a freeze! These items will help you avoid broken pipes, leaks, and larger issues.
1) Planning on being out of town?
When the temperature goes down, keep the heat up. While you may be tempted to cut the heat if you’re going away over the holidays, it’s essential to leave the thermostat switched on –albeit on a lower setting, to help prevent the pipes from freezing and sustaining damage. It is suggested that you set your thermostat to 65 at a minimum! If it’s not working, don’t wait; fill out a maintenance request now to get ahead of the winter rush.
2) Plan for Frozen Pipes
During freezing temperatures, it’s a good idea to leave faucets dripping very slowly. The continual flow of water will help to prevent the pipes from freezing. Also, leave all cabinet doors open, so heat can get to the wall and help keep the wall warm where water pipes are located going to a sink. Pick up hose bib covers at the hardware store and cover "all" the hose bibs. If you don't, the faucet will freeze and break.
3) Turn off Irrigation Systems
If you have an irrigation system, you want to avoid this going off in freezing weather; it will make a huge mess! Not to mention the possibility of broken pipes and wasted water.
Suspect you have a broken pipe?
Shut off the water to your home at the street, locate the lowest facuet (this could be an exterior faucet!) and drain all the water from the home. It's better to do this pro-actively, rather than re-actively! Ready to turn the water on? Call our office! The steps will be to shut that faucet you opened earlier. Then SLOWLY turn the water back on to the home. Make sure you have someone inside the house to listen for water dripping/spraying sounds, and visually check for leaks. Slowly refill the home's water, then when the sound of water refilling has stopped, check the water meter to see if it's still spinning, even slowly. If you suspect a leak, shut it off, drain the home, and turn in a maintenance request immediately.
As always, we are here to assist you in any way possible. Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions!