DON’T LET WINTER WEATHER SET YOU BACK

Ice, snow and wind can have devastating consequences to your home—and to your investment properties. Fortunately, there are precautions you can take to avoid the expense and inconvenience of winter damage. Be responsible and prepared when the cold, harsh weather hits with our advice and protocol.

Failure to take precautions will cause your pipes to freeze, leaving your tenants without water. Plumbers and Heat Technicians are typically booked out during severe weather causing delay all repairs for a week or more. 

Most leases state that renters insurance is the tenants responsibility. Instruct them that IF they find a leak to immediately close the main shut-off valve and submit a maintenance request per your process.

We have prepared a protocol for you to share with your tenants below. If you are a Table Property Management Client, we will handle this communication for you.

PREPARE NOW

• Stock up now; when temperatures drop most stores will already be sold out of most items needed to repair the issue and/or keep you warm. Consider stocking up on these essentials now. 
  • Space heater(s)
  • Heat gun(s) 
  • Heat tape 
  • Salt or sand for driveway (if snow or ice is expected) 
  • Snow shovel (if snow or ice is expected) 

• Find Main Shut-Off Valve
  • If your pipes burst you can protect your belongings by shutting the water off when you notice the break. It will be harder to find when it’s cold, icy, and/or snowy outside. 
  • If you do not know where your main shut-off valve is, check your yard now. 

• Learn to Shut Off Main Valve 
  • If you do not know how to close the main shut-off valve, watch this video. 
  • Be sure you have a water key or a wrench on hand. 

• Confirm You Have Renters Insurance 
  • Your lease states renters insurance is your responsibility.
  • If you do not have renters insurance, reach out to your insurance agent immediately. 
  • If your home becomes uninhabitable or your personal items are damaged, contact your renters insurance to learn about your coverage. 
  • Your property manager will not pay for a hotel on your behalf or pay to replace personal belongings damaged by frozen pipes.

PREVENT FROZEN PIPES

• Allow water to run (not just drip) from the hot and the cold side of all faucets to prevent further freezing and/or help melt the ice.
• Leave faucets dripping through the day and night. The lower the temperature, the more water needs to flow through each faucet. 
• Allow water to run constantly (even if pipes are well insulated) to prevent freezing at the meter.

• Heat the surrounding air. 
  • Position space heaters, bare incandescent light bulbs, or heat lamps in the room with the frozen pipe.
  • Place the heat source near the pipe but not touching it.
  • Thermostat should be on and set to at least 72 degrees.
• Open cabinet doors in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry to allow warm air to circulate around the plumbing (move harmful household chemicals out of the reach of children and pets)
• Close foundation vents 
• If foundation vents do not have a cover, add one 
• Keep garage doors closed
• Add foam covers to all outdoor faucets
• Keep the home warm and at a constant temperature.

LOCATE FROZEN PIPES

• Turn on all the faucets in the house. If water is running through one faucet but not another, the problem is located along the pipes running between the two. 
• If you find a frozen pipe, should check all other faucets in the home for additional frozen pipes.
• Examine the pipes in the affected area for cracks and leaks, look at  the most accessible areas first. 
• Leave all faucets open slightly. This includes faucets blocked with frozen water. This reduces pressure on the pipes.
• Areas to check:
  • Pipes in or near uninsulated crawl spaces, attics, or basements
  • Pipes near cold air vents 
  • Pipes near cold concrete
  • Indoor faucets (bathroom, kitchen, wet bar, laundry) 
  • Outdoor valves and spigots should be checked last

THAW FROZEN PIPES

• Carefully: If the pipe has already burst, water will flowing out of the broken pipe and flood your home when it thaws. 
• If a pipe is broken,  turn off the water at the main shutoff valve (CLICK HERE FOR A HOW-TO VIDEO). This is usually at the water meter or where the main line enters the house.
• Submit a maintenance request. Do not call the office. All maintenance requests must be submitted via the maintenance request form.
• Leave faucets slightly open. Running water is less likely to freeze than standing water. If the running water passes through a frozen area it may help thaw ice.
• Use a hair dryer 
  • Turn on a hair dryer and run it back and forth along the frozen pipe. 
  • Keep it moving and do not place the dryer directly against the pipe, as uneven or sudden heating can rupture the pipe. 
  • If your pipes are PVC they can be damaged by heat. Never use a heat gun or other direct heat stronger than a hair dryer.
  • Outdoor valves often have fiber washers or other non-heat-safe materials inside them. Heat them slowly and cautiously.

• Apply heat tape. 
  • Wrap the tape around the length of the frozen pipe then plug into a power source. 
  • Wrap the tape in a single layer. Do not overlap electrical heat tape. 
  • Wrap it around the pipe only once, preferably in a spiral pattern.
• Heat the surrounding air. 
  • Position space heaters, bare incandescent light bulbs, or heat lamps in the room with the frozen pipe.
  • Place the heat source near the pipe but not touching it.
  • Thermostat should be between 75-80ºF (24–27ºC) when trying to thaw pipes
  • Open cabinet doors in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry to allow warm air to circulate around the plumbing (move harmful household chemicals out of the reach of children and pets)
• Wrap the pipe in hot towels. 
  • Put on rubber gloves, and soak towels in hot water. 
  • Ring the towels out then wrap them securely around the frozen section of pipe. 
  • Replace with freshly soaked, hot towels every 5–10 minutes until the pipe thaws. 
  • Do not leave cold wet towels around the pipes.
• Add salt to frozen drains by pouring 1 tablespoon of salt down the drain. Do not run extremely hot water down the drain. Do not pour excessive amounts of salt in the drain.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored.

IF PIPES FREEZE

• If you have frozen pipes or lose power, turn in a maintenance request. Please do not turn in multiple requests for the same issue.
• Follow instructions to Thaw Frozen Pipes
• Confirm You Have Renters Insurance 
  • Your lease states renters insurance is your responsibility.
  • If you do not have renters insurance, reach out to your insurance agent immediately. 
  • If your home becomes uninhabitable or your personal items are damaged, contact your renters insurance to learn about your coverage. 
  • Your property manager will not pay for a hotel on your behalf or pay to replace personal belongings damaged by frozen pipes.