LEGACY HVAC’S CHECKLIST TO PREVENT FROZEN PIPES
Over the past week, this year’s polar vortex has set record lows in the area. Legacy Heating & Air Conditioning has been racing to assist residents with furnace issues as well as frozen and broken pipes. Located on Bluffton Road, you likely have seen Legacy’s marquee messages that are typically words of encouragement and community support. To help continue their organization’s growth, starting in 2017 you may have also noticed that they restored and updated an adjacent building on Fairoak Drive, with an award from the City of Fort Wayne Façade Grant.
As this cold snap and winter temperatures continue, Legacy Heating & Air Conditioning advises that residents should continue to take the following precautions to prevent future problems, especially in areas of your home or business that has had pipe freezing or breakage issues in the past.
– Keep garage doors closed especially if there are any water supply lines on or in adjoining walls.
– Open kitchen & bathroom cabinet doors as well as closet and attic doors so warmer air will circulate.
– Let cold water drip from faucets served by exposed pipes.
– Keep thermostat set to the same temperature day & night.
– Keep thermostat set to a temperature no lower than 55 degrees F.
– Continue to check your home’s water faucets for running water.
– Starting at the top floor turn on all the taps and flush the toilets.
– Unhook your washing machine hoses and drain them when not in use.
– Know where your master valve or a main water shut-off control is located that will allow you to turn off all the water coming into the house if you have a broken pipe. The valve is usually located in a spot near where the main water line enters the house. If a pipe breaks somewhere in the house, you can turn off the water at this main valve.
– For water meters located outdoors in a pit, check to make sure the lid is not broken or missing.
– Long term solutions include adding insulation to attics basements and crawl spaces sealing cracks and openings around windows and door and at sill plates.
– Wrap pipes that run through unheated garages or crawl spaces to help prevent freezing. Use insulation tape and wrap it over the entire length of exposed pipe. You can also use molded flexible pipe sleeves.
– Think about prevention before you go away.
If your pipes are frozen you should:
– Turn on the faucet.
– Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the frozen pipe, electric hair dryer or portable space heater.
– Apply heat until full water pressure is restored.
– Call a licensed plumber.
If your pipes are frozen you should NOT:
– Use a blow torch kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove or any other open flame device to thaw the pipes.
If you need assistance, Legacy Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 260-747-1800. The family has been in business since 1979 and specializes in heating, air-conditioning and plumbing. They help residential and commercial customers throughout most of Northeast Indiana. Stop by and say hi at their location in Waynedale, located at 6502 Bluffton Rd. Fort Wayne, IN 46809.
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