Winter is coming. Be prepared on behalf of your residents.
You don’t have to live in Texas long to realize just how unbalanced the weather can be at times. 2021 was a year for the record books! Texas suffered a brutal arctic blast that lasted for days, resulting in more than 456k insurance claims to be filed for water damage to homes and businesses across the state due to frozen pipes.
Cold temperatures are around the corner and now is the time to prepare for what mother nature can have in store. With proper planning, you can lessen the risk of damage to your community and homes due to frozen pipes.
Here is a list of some of the overlooked items that you should think about when winterizing your community or home.
Fire suppression lines and control valves are often installed in attics, parking garages, balconies and closets that are completely susceptible to the elements. While insulating these lines and rooms is not common, by doing so you can protect your community and home from costly repairs and damage. When these lines burst, they release thousands of gallons of water in a short period of time causing serious damages.
Caulking gaps, voids and penetrations around the home and facility where cold air can enter the wall cavity and get to the pipes- This includes doors, windows, spigots, vents in the brick, stucco, or siding facade.
Closing off ventilation to the foundation of your home or facility if it has a crawl space. If your community is pier and beam and you have pipes underneath, ensure these pipes are properly wrapped and protected. Seal any gaps around pipes and wires that enter the home or facility from underneath.
Winter is coming. Is your multi-family community ready?Ensure that pool pumps, irrigation lines and outside water fountains have the water lines properly insulated.
Exposed drainpipes in parking garages can freeze at the elbow or p-trap of the plumbing. When water freezes in the p-trap, this causes the pipe to expand and ultimately crack. By wrapping and protecting these pipes you can avoid costly repairs due to cracked pipes, though you may not commonly see it done.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, Texas is in for another frigid winter. Taking the steps above into consideration combined with other commonly performed items inside and out can decrease your overall risk of having frozen pipes. While we hope to have a winter that is forgiving this time around, the most we can do is prepare for the worst and expect the best!
If your multifamily community, HOA, or commercial property has freezing weather damage, or if you’d like to get a quote from Classic for winterizing packages, contact us today or call (469) 290-8980. Our expert team is here for you 24/7 in case of emergencies!
