It is supposed to be a nice warm day today but we all know what lies ahead.
This tip is mostly for new homeowners or for people who are new to Minnesota.
It is time to turn off the water to the outdoor faucets. Disconnect the hoses and put them away.
Easy to do:
1. Turn off the water from the inside of the house.
2. open the spigot on the outside.
What happens if you don’t turn the water off? Pipes can freeze and faucets can be destroyed by ice. . . and it isnt pretty.
Here we go with the winterize your vacant home 2011 edition. This nice warm fall is bound to end one day.
October 15th is considered the beginning of the heating season here in the Twin Cities. If you home is vacant you need to either winterize it your self or hire a pro. The water needs to be turned off and the pipes drained. Most people can do this themselves by turning off the water and turning on the faucets. Don’t forget to drain the toilets. The water heater needs to be drained and that isn’t that hard to do either it has a valve on it. There should also be a valve to shut off the gas to it.
Boilers are another matter. The water should be drained and I have a forced air unit so I don’t know much about boilers. If you use a company to inspect and repair your boiler call them.
Even if the heat is left on your home still needs to be winterized. If the furnace stops running and the pipes freeze trust me the home will be destroyed. I have seen how a home looks after a few pipes have burst and it isn’t a pretty picture.
**Bonus tip**
If your home is going to be vacant do not forget to let your insurance company know because if you have a claim and they find out it is vacant they may not pay out. Insurance companies are all about collecting premiums not paying claims.