Keeping Your Home Safe and Looking Great This Winter
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE--(Marketwire - Dec 3, 2012) - As the transition from Fall to Winter occurs, it is important for homeowners to take particular precautions in preparing for the new season. This includes dealing with frozen pipes, puff backs and the potential for fire and smoke damage - all of which can result in costly clean-up expenses if you are not adequately prepared.
As you would expect, frozen pipes are a common issue in cold winter weather, but they can be dealt with easily. Failing to prepare for frozen pipes could result in a burst pipe, leaving you with expensive water damage clean up costs. A common indicator of frozen pipes is a reduction in water pressure from the taps in your house. Should this occur during the winter, try leaving your taps running for a while. This could dislodge the ice that has found its way into the pipes. To thaw out your pipes, wrap them in insulation. A more affordable alternative is wrapping them in towels and pouring hot water over them.
Another common issue is puff back, which occurs when an oil burner backfires. This small explosion causes your home or office to become covered in soot, which often requires the services of smoke damage clean up experts. To prevent this from happening, ensure that your furnace is inspected by a professional annually.
Smoke damage is quite common during the winter because a wide range of heating devices can be misused, so be sure to exercise caution when heating your home. For example, space heaters should not be kept within three feet of any other items and they should not be used with extension cords. If you have a wood burning fireplace, ensure that you only burn wood in it. When using candles, never leave them unattended and always extinguish them by wetting the wicks.
How We Can Help
If your home is affected by puff backs, burst pipes or a fire, call on ServiceMaster Clean for convenient water damage clean up and smoke damage clean up services. We''re available every day of the week to ensure that your home gets back to normal quickly after a winter incident.
