DATELINE: SOUTH BOSTON, MA…
So you’re lucky enough to be able to leave town for warmer climes this winter… What do you need to do to prepare your plumbing during your absence?
According to John Wood, founder and CEO of Hub Plumbing & Mechanical in Boston, warns that it is critical to protect your pipes. “Even occasional snowbirds who are only leaving town for a week or two need to take some commonsense precautions. Travelers look forward to escaping freezing temperatures without fully considering what happens at home when the temperature is plummeting and the coldest weather of the season is forecast while they’re away. ”
Wood offers some simple measures that can help protect pipes from freezing while homeowners relax in warmer climes.
• Always leave the heat on. Never lower the thermostat below 55 degrees Fahrenheit no matter how well insulated your home may be.
• Be prepared. Double check outdoor faucets, making sure that the interior shut-off valves leading to the faucets have been closed, and that the outside spigot was left open and drained prior to the arrival of freezing temperatures. An alternative to this procedure is to speak with your plumber about installing frost-free sillcocks where the shutoff valve extends inside the house away from the cold, eliminating the need to shut off the water supply to the outside spigots.
• Insulate pipes that located on outside walls, particularly in an older home with minimal insulation.
• Open the doors of kitchen and bathroom cabinets that are located on outer walls to let the warm air in to keep pipes that are located there from freezing.
• Make sure that pipes in unheated basements, crawlspaces, or garages are insulated. Drain pipes that are not in use during the winter.
• Have a contingency plan in place if a storm causes an extended power outage in your absence. Make sure that someone has access to your home and can monitor the inside temperature. In extreme cases, particularly if you have had pipes freeze before, instruct whoever is keeping an eye on things to keep a trickle of water running from the faucet since running water usually doesn’t freeze.
• If your caretaker should find a frozen pipe during an extended power outage, they should turn off the main shut-off water valve and keep the faucet open to relieve pressure as the ice melts.
• If a pipe has burst they SHOULD NOT try to thaw the pipe since this could cause electrocution. Leave the number of your licensed plumbing professional to handle this emergency.
Notes Wood, “With a little advance planning homeowners can enjoy peace of mind and escape the prospect of returning home to the devastating aftermath of burst pipes.”
About Hub Plumbing & Mechanical
Hub Plumbing & Mechanical was established in 1999 and now includes a staff of 16 full time employees. This full service plumbing company assists residential and commercial customers with code violations, sewer/drain clogs, garbage disposals, water heaters, water filtration, steam and hot water boilers, thermostats, leaky faucets, tub valves, gas pipes, appliance installation, outside hose faucets, and residential HVAC service.
Hub Plumbing & Mechanical was recently highlighted in a new book entitled “The Celebrity Experience” where Hub Plumbing & Mechanical’s Red Carpet Service was cited as an example of how it’s possible to create faithful life long customers by showering them with treatment usually reserved for celebrities.
Hub Plumbing and Mechanical’s signature Red Carpet service features experienced teams of licensed technicians who not only protect your floors with a red carpet, but also cover their work boots with stain-resistant booties, wear ID badges for security purposes, and arrive on time and smartly dressed in crisp, clean uniforms.
The company does not charge by the hour, but by the specific project. Hub Plumbing & Mechanical is available 24 hours a day and 7 seven days a week to provide immediate access and peace of mind. Dedicated 2nd and 3rd shift night dispatchers internally handle all calls at Hub Plumbing & Mechanical, not an answering service. The difference between the two enables Hub Plumbing & Mechanical to get real-time info on the customer 24/7 to expedite the call as efficiently as possible.
Hub Plumbing & Mechanical Inc. is located at 70 Old Colony Avenue in South Boston, MA 02127. For more information about Hub Plumbing & Mechanical call 1-866-HUBPLUMBING (482-7586), email services@hubplumbing.com, or visit www.hubplumbing.com.
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