How you can prepare your home for winter weather
by: Mike Suriani
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Now is a good time to ensure homes are winterized as the Mid-South area is expected to see some wintry mix by Sunday or Monday with dangerously cold temperatures dropping into the single digits.
Michael Claunch works for Solace Services, which is a plumbing, heating, and air company in Memphis. He says to try to keep everything as stocked as possible.
“Trying to keep everything as stocked as possible,” Claunch said. “We’ve got a lot more stock coming in to get prepared for it.”
He also knows the importance of staying warm and making sure your pipes do not freeze.
“Once the water inside the pipe freezes, it expands and it expands so much that the pipe can’t take anymore and it just rips,” Claunch said. “A lot of people have always said, ‘have your faucets dripping.’ We have found that if you leave a steady stream, hot and cold side, that helps keep the water moving through your system to prevent the freezing.”
After you’ve turned on the faucets, open up cabinets and keep them open all night. This allows the heat from your home to flow around pipes, especially if your sink is on an exterior wall.
Set your thermostat at a comfortable level and take steps to winterize your home by using insulation around windows and doors which is important if your home is older and lacks energy-efficient windows.
Claunch also says to make sure to disconnect your garden hose and cover your outside water spigot with a cover outside your home.
“My advice would be to get to the store as soon as possible to get the things you feel you need to actually stay warm over these next few days,” said Kim Murrell, Home Depot Assistant Store Manager.
If your pipes freeze, turn off the main valve inside your house, if possible, and call Memphis Light Gas and Water emergency contact number at 528-4465.
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