More often than not, averages are useful to give us at least some idea of what to expect.
Take Omaha’s weather, for example. The average high temperature for December, January and February is 35, 33, and 28 degree F, respectively. The average low? Sure you’re ready for this? Okay then, here you go: 17, 14 and 18.
And remember, those are the averages. Which means that if this coming winter is even a tad colder than usual, “ouch” to you personally, and a great big potential “ouch” to your home.
Unless, of course, you take steps now to help prevent the kind of damage your home can suffer through yet another Omaha winter. Here are just a few of the things we recommend for home owners throughout the Omaha and Council Bluffs area:
Clean out your gutters and downspouts
Poor insulation in the attic causes snow to melt on the roof, and clogged gutters cause the water to overflow. Then, when water freezes, it expands and can tear apart your eaves, roof, and take sections of gutters right off the house.
Insulate Your Pipes – Do you have hot or cold water pipes in unheated areas of your home? Then now’s the time to properly insulate areas like garage, underneath your cabinets, and inside your crawl spaces. That way, you can prevent super cold air from entering and causing your pipes to crack and burst. At the same time, make sure to drain and properly store your garden hoses.
Shut off Faucets and Valves – Before the first freeze, turn off all outdoor faucets and shut off the valves that supply water to them. But first fully drain all water from them to prevent stagnant water built-up and pipe freezing.
Plan Ahead for a Winter Vacation – If you’re planning a winter vacation, lower your thermostat to around 60 degrees F before leaving. At the same time, turn on just one faucet just a little and let it drip throughout your absence as another way to prevent frozen pipes. That’s good advice even if you have someone checking your home in your absence.
Open up Inside Doors – Before leaving your house for any length of time or going to bed, open up lower cabinet, bathroom, and other inside doors that have plumbing behind them to help keep warm air circulating.
For more information or help with winterizing your home and protecting your pipes from freezing, contact Burton today at 402-343-0011. We’re here to help keep your family safe, warm, and comfortable, all winter long.
