Grande Prairie residents around the city are preparing for the coldest weekend of the winter so far and the Alberta Motor Association has released a few tips for homeowners to avoid any damage caused by the extreme temperatures.
Graham Carstairs, a Claims Manager for the AMA says taking a few simple measures can save residents thousands of dollars in water damages. He says calls regarding burst pipes and water damage spike during the thaw, but simply staying mindful of any potential issues can make a significant difference.
“One of the steps we strongly recommend homeowners take is to drain the hose spit, the sprinklers outside of your home, turn off your water and then bleed out that water,” he says.
Carstairs adds that people tend to go away for the cold season, so any snowbirds planning to migrate during the cold are reminded to take extra precautions before leaving. According to Carstairs, 70 per cent of AMA members report they do not turn off their water when they leave their homes, so having a trusted family member or friend check on your home while away is a critical step in avoiding any hassle.
“One of the things we recommend is that you have people checking in on your home every day, or that you install a device to monitor the pressure of your plumbing.”
Additionally, Carstairs says many homeowners will not even notice any damage until the thaw, and by the time it is noticed, it is usually too late.
“Ironically, what happens a lot of times is when its really cold that’s not when the water claims happen,” he says. “What happens is this blockage of ice in the plumbing system goes unnoticed until that ice melts and the problem with frozen water is that it can occur in multiple areas, so sometimes it can be hard to locate if there’s one or multiple areas of frozen water.”
Renters should also remain cautious of frozen pipes, Carstairs says if you live in an apartment with radiant heating, it is important to maintain a baseline temperature to avoid any spikes or drastic changes to your heating system.
“It’s really important to remember that if you live in an apartment and you have radiant heating, even if you get hot in your unit, not to open a window, because that cold air sinks and that can cause a lot of damage,” he says. “I would not turn the heat down within reason, you want to retain a minimum heat in your unit.”
Carstairs says even though you might end up a bit uncomfortable, the cold snap is temporary, and being cautious is a worthwhile endeavour to save thousands of dollars in damages.