Plumbers Jacksonville FL - When is the Right Time for Floridians to Winterize their Homes?

by Billy Aldridge

With the night time temperatures only going down to the fifties and the day time temp in the mid-seventies you wouldn’t think that it was time to start thinking about winterizing your home.  But you’d be wrong.  While we don’t get the kind of bone chilling breezes that the folks in say Chicago or Milwaukee do, we Floridians do have some days and a fair number of nights when the thermometer dips below freezing.  So the last time you want to start thinking about wrapping up the pipes is when one has burst and you are forced to start bailing out the kitchen.  By getting a jump on winter’s steely grip now you will save yourself a considerable amount of time and money in the coming months.

1.      Insulating exposed pipes - While is standard operating procedure to wrap outdoor spigots and drains when we are expecting a freeze, one of the areas that many people overlook in the Sunshine State are water pipes and drains that are either on the exterior of the home, or are in the garage.  These can freeze and burst if left unprotected.  To avoid damage, simply wrap the pipes with electrical-resistance heat tape, or to allow the tap to drip.  When it comes to outside spigots, always remove the hose and wrap the tap with a towel to keep frost from creeping in. 

2.      Check all the windows and doors for heat loss and repair or replace any cracked or missing weather stripping.  This is one that is a no brainer, since it not only prevents frost damage, but it actually pays for itself by reducing the electric bill.  Other than a visual inspection, the best way to detect a draft is to hold a lit candle up to window and door jambs on a breezy day.  If the candle flickers, there is significant heat loss.  Just be sure not to get too close to drapes or you might wind up with a more serious problem to contend with than heat loss.

3.      Inspecting the heating system – Don’t wait until the coldest night of the year to find out that your heat pump no longer pumps heat.  Now is the best time to get the heating system inspected.  Also make sure that you change the filter every month to keep the system from blocking up.  I once had to help a friend chip his filter off of a frozen air exchanger on the hottest day of the year due to the fact that he hadn’t changed it in six months.  Not only can this be a nuisance, but it can cause serious damage to the system.

4.      Drains and Gutters – Clearing out the gutters and drains in the fall means that they won’t freeze over, block up and perhaps fall down during a hard freeze in January.  A sure sign to know if your gutters need cleaning are if a garden is beginning to sprout up there.  A sure sign that your drain needs clearing is when you can no longer see it beneath the leaf litter. 

While Jack Frost isn’t exactly nipping at our noses right now, a sudden freeze can come down from the Northeast at any time during December, January and/or February.  The best time to tackle the chore of winterizing your home is now, while the weather is pleasant and everyone isn’t gang rushing the shopping centers as will be the case after Thanksgiving.

Billy Aldridge is one of the Doctors of Plumbology at Aldridge and Sons Plumbing, a residential and commercial plumbing contractor located in Jacksonville, Florida.  Visit their website at http://plumbers-jacksonville-fl.com for all your plumbing needs.