MICHIGAN, USA — Winter weather is finally here and West Michigan is hunkering down for a weekend filled with heavy snow. But is your house ready? AAA has the answer.
Below-freezing temperatures can damage or even destroy a home's heating, plumbing and exterior features, AAA officials say.
“Maintaining your property is essential to reducing your risk of winter damage,” said Adrienne Woodland, spokesperson of AAA-The Auto Club Group. “Taking small steps now can help you avoid high repair costs and headaches down the road.”
The average frozen pipe claim can cost more than $11,000, AAA says. Here's what you can do to avoid that:
- Remove hoses from exterior faucets.
- Repair or replace weather stripping around windows and doors, vents and fans, plumbing, air conditioners and electrical and gas lines.
- Use caulk or insulation to seal all cracks, holes and other openings on exterior walls.
- Let faucets drip a little bit to prevent freezing pipes.
- Well-insulated basements and crawl spaces will help protect pipes. Close foundation vents and windows to basements. Wrap vulnerable pipes with pipe insulation.
- Know where your water shutoff valve is so that you can turn off the water in case of an emergency.
- Air inside the walls, where pipes are, can be much colder than air in the room, so set the thermostat at a reasonable temperature, even if you will be away from home.
- Keep bathroom and kitchen cabinet doors open to let warm air circulate around the pipes.
- Close your wood burning fireplace flue damper when you’re not using it. Follow all manufacturer instructions for gas fireplaces including those with pilot lights, which may require the flue to be partially open at all times.
If you do experience damage from a winter storm, make sure you're hiring trusted contractors to fix it. The Better Business Bureau says scams always rise after severe weather cleanup.
Once it's safe, you should document damage with photos and videos and contact your insurance provider.
For more tips, look on the AAA website here. Stay weather aware with the 13 ON YOUR SIDE forecast.
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